The Moscow City Court sentenced US citizen Stephen Hubbard to six years and 10 months in prison on Monday after he was convicted of fighting as a mercenary for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) against the Russian military.

Hubbard was charged under a section in the Russian Criminal Code that concerns mercenary activity. A Russian prosecutor asked the court to sentence Hubbard to seven years. The trial was conducted behind closed doors, as is standard in Russian proceedings in high-profile cases. During the investigation, it was determined that Hubbard began living in Ukraine in 2014 and later fought alongside the AFU until his arrest in the spring of 2022.

Patricia Hubbard Fox, Hubbard’s sister, told Reuters that she believes his brother’s age makes it unrealistic for him to have engaged in combat. She remains doubtful of Hubbard’s alleged confession of guilt that was reported in Russian media.

In a US Department of State press briefing on Monday, spokesperson Matthew Miller was asked about the Department’s knowledge of Hubbard’s sentencing. Miller stated:

We have limited information available about this case because Russia has refused to grant consular access. I’ll say a couple things about the case, though. The individual is 72 years old, has been held in prison for two years. He was arrested in Ukraine, not Russia.

Earlier in August, several detained Americans and some Russian political prisoners were released as part of a major prisoner swap between the US and Russia. Among those freed were Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal journalist who was sentenced to 16 years in prison for spying, and Ilya Yashin, one of the most famous Russian opposition leaders, who was jailed for his anti-war position.

The US Embassy in Russia has described political prisoners as “bargaining chips,” condemning Russia for “using American citizens to achieve its political objectives” amidst Gershkovich’s trial over the summer.

In a statement released by President Joe Biden after the August prisoner exchange, Biden promised, “Still, too many families are suffering and separated from their loved ones, and I have no higher priority as President than bringing those Americans home.”

It is unclear whether it will be possible for Hubbard to appeal the court’s decision, or if that route will be pursued by Hubbard’s lawyer. Spokesperson Miller has indicated the Department of State will continue pressing for consular access.