Russian court sentences American to 7 years in prison for fighting in Ukraine

Catch up quick: Hubbard has been in Russian custody since April 2022, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

• He was accused by Russian prosecutors of accepting $1,000 a month to serve with a Ukrainian territorial defense force in the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum starting in February 2022.
• He pleaded guilty to the charges last week.
• Hubbard's sister has cast doubt on his purported confession, telling Reuters that he has never owned a gun and is "more of a pacifist."

Driving the news: Hubbard was sentenced Monday to six years and ten months in prison — just slightly shorter than the full seven years requested by prosecutors, TASS reported.

• A fine of more than $3,000 was also collected and paid to the state.
• The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Zoom out: Hubbard is at least one of 10 Americans currently behind bars in Russia, after a historic prisoner exchange in August freed three Americans, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

Go deeper: U.S. man pleads guilty in Russia to fighting for Ukraine, state media reports