RUSSIAN prosecutors asked for a seven-year sentence in the trial of a US citizen accused of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine against Russia, Russian news agencies reported on Saturday.

Prosecutors asked that Stephen Hubbard, who admitted guilt, serve the sentence in a maximum-security penal colony.

In Russia, participating in mercenary activities is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment for a term of 7-15 years.

Prosecutors accuse Mr Hubbard of signing a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, for which he allegedly was to receive at least $1,000 (£746).

He reportedly underwent training, received a personal firearm and fought in the Ukrainian military as a mercenary until April 2022, when he was captured by the Russian military.

The US embassy in Moscow told reporters that it was aware of the reports of the arrest of an American citizen, but said that it could not comment any further “due to privacy restrictions.”

The US has previously alleged that Russia is targeting its nationals for arrest to later use as bargaining chips in talks to bring back Russians convicted of crimes in the US and Europe.

In August, the US and Russia completed their largest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history, a deal involving 24 people.