MOSCOW, Oct 6, (AP): 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 Saturday.

Prosecutors asked the court to take into account 72-year-old Stephen Hubbard’s age and said he has admitted guilt, according to Interfax. They asked that Hubbard serve the sentence in a maximum-security penal colony.

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

Prosecutors accuse Hubbard of signing a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, for which he allegedly was to receive at least $1,000.

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

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow told The Associated Press it was “aware of the reports of the arrest of an American citizen,” but said it could not comment any further “due to privacy restrictions”.

Russian courts convict more than 99% of defendants, and prosecutors can appeal sentences that they regard as too lenient.