Putin announces the release of an American professor captured while fighting in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the release of American citizen Stephen James Hubbard during a meeting in St. Petersburg. Hubbard, an English teacher, had been captured by Russian troops while serving in the ranks of the Ukrainian military.

The announcement highlights the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the involvement of foreign nationals fighting within Ukrainian ranks, bringing diplomatic and security attention to the status of captured American citizens in Russian custody.