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A Russian court has sentenced a 72-year-old American for allegedly fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine.

What’s the deal: Stephen Hubbard, a 72-year-old American from Michigan, was sentenced by a Russian court to six years and 10 months in prison for allegedly fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. Prosecutors claimed that Hubbard signed a contract with the Ukrainian military for about $1,000 per month and fought in the city of Izyum against Russian forces. He was captured in April 2022, and during his trial, Hubbard pleaded guilty to the charges.

Family disputes charges: Despite pleading guilty, Hubbard’s family has openly disputed the charges and cast doubt that he was actually fighting for Ukraine. In a previous statement, Hubbard’s sister Trisha said, “Steven was never and is not a mercenary. The Ukrainian military does not accept volunteers aged 60 and older, and Steven was 70 when they kidnapped him. Russia knows this, but to save face for kidnapping, beating, and detaining my brother all this time, their court still brought charges.” In a Facebook post, she added, “RUSSIA’s prosecutor is LYING!!! Steve was never a mercenary. He was an English teacher teaching English in foreign countries!” According to his sister, Hubbard lived in Ukraine after meeting a woman.

Another sentenced: In addition to Hubbard, another American and former Marine, Robert Gilman, was sentenced by a Russian court to seven years and one month in a maximum-security penal colony for allegedly assaulting Russian law enforcement officers. Gilman had already been serving a 3.5-year sentence for a previous conviction related to a 2022 incident where he was arrested for causing a disturbance while intoxicated on a train.