American Detained in Russia: A Different Story

Meet Stephen Hubbard, a 72-year-old from Michigan. He's not your typical fighter; he was an English teacher traveling the world. But in April 2022, Russian forces detained him while he was in Ukraine. Why? They say he fought against them as a mercenary for money. Stephen says no way, he's a pacifist who never held a gun. Despite his denial, a Moscow court sentenced him to six years and ten months behind bars on Monday. But wait, there's another American in this story. Robert Gilman, a former marine, is already serving time for attacking a police officer last year. His sentence just got longer by seven more years for allegedly assaulting prison officials. These cases raise many questions. Why were these men detained? Are they really mercenaries or pacifists? And what about the US Embassy in Moscow? They know about the detentions but aren't saying much. It's a complicated tale, and it's still unfolding.