Russia Releases Ailing Former US Marine Robert Gilman

Russia has released former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman after he spent more than four years in detention, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying the 32-year-old American was freed on humanitarian grounds following discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump announced Gilman's release in a social media post on Tuesday, saying the former Marine was on his way back to the United States and was expected to arrive at Joint Base Andrews near Washington later that night.

"I am proud to announce that American Citizen Robert Gilman, a former United States Marine, is coming HOME!" Trump said.

The president said Russia had not sought anything in return for Gilman's release and that no prisoner exchange had taken place.

The White House and U.S. State Department had repeatedly urged Moscow to release Gilman so he could receive medical treatment in the United States. U.S. officials said Putin had approved a pardon on humanitarian grounds.

Gilman had been held at a prison in Voronezh, about 550 kilometres south of Moscow. Questions had been raised about his deteriorating health in recent months.

Eric Lebson, chief strategy officer of Global Reach, an advocacy group representing Gilman's family, told Reuters last week that Gilman had been transferred in late June from a prison hospital to the psychiatric ward of a civilian emergency hospital.

Lebson said Gilman was in a catatonic-like condition and had been assessed as suffering from a "dissociative stupor."

However, a U.S. official who had spoken with Gilman said he was walking and talking.

"All things considered he seems to be in good shape," the official said.

Trump released a photograph showing a gaunt-looking Gilman aboard an aircraft surrounded by people carrying an American flag. The president said he had spoken with Gilman, who jokingly requested a cheeseburger when he arrived back in the United States.

"I will take care of that!" Trump said.

Four doctors were due to evaluate Gilman during his flight to the United States, according to U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Following his arrival, Gilman is expected to travel to a rehabilitation facility in San Antonio, Texas, where he will receive further medical treatment.

Arrest Followed Police Incident

Gilman served in the U.S. Marines from August 2019 until August 2020. He was travelling by train when he was arrested in Voronezh in January 2022.

Russian state media reported that he had been detained after allegedly kicking a police officer while intoxicated.

Gilman's father, Vladimir Gilman, who emigrated from Russia to Massachusetts, disputed the allegations in an October 2024 opinion article published by The Boston Globe.

He said his son had become ill during the incident and accidentally kicked the officer. According to his father, the officer was not injured, subsequently dropped the charges and did not provide evidence against Gilman during his trial.

Despite this, Gilman was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

He was among at least 10 Americans known to have been imprisoned in Russia.

U.S. officials said Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told Trump administration officials last week that Putin had agreed to sign a decree pardoning Gilman on humanitarian grounds.

The release followed intensive negotiations between U.S. and Russian officials over the weekend.

American officials said no Russian prisoners were exchanged and that the United States made no concessions to secure Gilman's freedom.

"It's a goodwill gesture," one U.S. official said.

Trump credited U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, senior director for counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy for hostage response Adam Boehler with helping secure Gilman's release.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Gilman was among about 100 American citizens whose freedom Trump had helped secure since returning to office for his second term.

Rubio welcomed the release as a "positive step" but called on Russia to free other Americans whom Washington considers to have been unjustly detained.

Among them is Stephen Hubbard, a retired U.S. schoolteacher who was sentenced in October 2024 to almost seven years in a Russian penal colony.

A Russian court convicted Hubbard of serving with a Ukrainian territorial defence unit against Russian forces and helping man a checkpoint. Hubbard has denied the allegation.