A Moscow court docket on Friday started listening to the case of a 72-year-old American guy accused of preventing as a mercenary in Ukraine, Russian information companies reported.
“Moscow City Court began hearing the criminal case of 72-year-old American… over participating as a mercenary in the armed conflict on the side of Ukraine,” RIA Novosti information company stated.
It known the person as Stefan Hubbard however stated his identify may well be spelled otherwise, with posts on social media suggesting the identify may well be Stephen Hubbard.
“We are aware of the reports of the arrest of an American citizen. Due to privacy restrictions we are unable to comment any further,” the USA embassy in Moscow stated in a commentary.
The pensioner from Michigan moved to Ukraine in 2014, RIA Novosti stated.
The stories didn’t produce sunny when or how the American arrived in Moscow.
On the listening to at Moscow’s very best town court docket, a pass judgement on yes to the prosecutor’s request to detain him for 6 months at the subjects that he may attempt to escape, remanding the person in custody till March 26, 2025.
The then listening to within the case used to be poised for then Thursday.
Collaborating as a mercenary in an armed warfare is punishable through as much as 15 years in jail underneath Russian regulation.
A video posted on YouTube channels in Might 2022 confirmed a person who provides his identify as Stephen James Hubbard and stated he used to be within the town of Izyum within the Kharkiv pocket.
The person says he used to be born within the the town of Large Rapids, Michigan, and got here to Izyum in 2014.
He appears baggy with a protracted beard and grimy nails.
Russia engaged a part of the Kharkiv pocket together with Izyum in spring 2022 in a while upcoming launching its offensive, and Ukraine retook Izyum in September 2022.
Russia has arrested a number of US voters in recent times on fees starting from espionage and criticising the Russian military to petty robbery and society disputes.
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