MOSCOW
\nA Moscow court on Friday began the trial of a 72-year-old American man accused of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, Russian news agencies reported.
\nMoscow City Court is hearing a criminal case against the American \u201cover participating as a mercenary in the armed conflict on the side of Ukraine,\u201d RIA Novosti news agency said.
\nIt identified the man as Stefan Hubbard but said his name could be spelled differently, with social media posts suggesting the name could be Stephen Hubbard.
\n\u201cWe are aware of the reports of the arrest of an American citizen. Due to privacy restrictions we are unable to comment any further,\u201d the US embassy in Moscow said in a statement.
\nThe pensioner from Michigan moved to Ukraine in 2014, RIA Novosti said. Reports did not make clear when or how Hubbard arrived in Moscow.
\nAt the hearing at Moscow\u2019s highest city court, a judge agreed to the prosecutor\u2019s request to detain Hubbard for six months on the grounds that he could try to flee, remanding him in custody until March 26, 2025.
\nThe next hearing was set for next Thursday.
\nParticipating as a mercenary in an armed conflict is punishable by up to 15 years in prison under Russian law.
\nA video posted on YouTube channels in May 2022 showed a man who gives his name as Stephen James Hubbard and said he was living in the city of Izyum in the Kharkiv region.
\nThe man says he was born in Big Rapids, Michigan, and came to Izyum in 2014.
\nHe looks dishevelled with a long beard and dirty nails.
\nRussia occupied part of the Kharkiv region including Izyum in March 2022 shortly after launching its February 24 offensive, and Ukraine retook Izyum in September 2022.
\nThe American signed a contract with a Ukrainian territorial defense battalion the day after Russian forces entered Ukraine, the prosecutor said in court, RIA Novosti reported.
\nIn this role, he was paid \u201cat least $1,000 a month,\u201d underwent training, received a uniform and weapons and \u201ctook part in the armed conflict,\u201d the prosecutor said.
\nHe was detained by a Russian soldier on April 2, 2022, she added without giving details.
\nRussia has arrested several US citizens in recent years on charges ranging from espionage and criticizing the Russian army to petty theft and family disputes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MOSCOW A Moscow court on Friday began the trial of a 72-year-old American man accused of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, Russian news agencies reported. Moscow City Court is hearing a criminal case against the American \u201cover participating as a mercenary in the armed conflict on the side of Ukraine,\u201d RIA Novosti news agency […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":433990,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-433970","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n