Russia releases former US Marine Robert Gilman on humanitarian grounds
President Donald Trump states the release was not part of a prisoner exchange, as Gilman faces medical evaluation en route to Texas following allegations of severe mistreatment in Russian custody.
Russia has freed former US Marine Robert Gilman, concluding a detention that has spanned four years, with the US government designating him as wrongfully detained. US President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that Gilman is due to arrive at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, DC, on Tuesday night. Trump stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to the release on humanitarian grounds and clarified that the move was not part of a prisoner exchange.
Gilman, 32, was arrested in January 2022 in Voronezh, approximately 550 kilometres south of Moscow, while travelling by train. Russian state media reported he was detained for allegedly kicking a police officer while intoxicated. However, his father, Vladimir Gilman, wrote in an October 2024 Boston Globe op-ed that the charges were false, asserting his son had fallen ill during the incident and accidentally kicked the uninjured officer, who subsequently dropped the charges.
The US government had urged Moscow to release Gilman so he could receive medical treatment at home. US Senator Ed Markey, who worked with Gilman’s family to secure his release, stated that Gilman was in a near-death condition, suffering from severe pneumonia and a catatonic state where he was non-responsive. Markey alleged that Gilman had been subjected to physical torture, forced medication, and provocations by Russian authorities during his detention.
Despite these severe allegations, a US official who spoke to Gilman reported that he was walking and talking. The official noted that all things considered, he seemed to be in good shape. Several doctors will evaluate Gilman during the flight back to the United States, where he is expected to travel to a rehabilitation centre in San Antonio, Texas, for further medical treatment.
Trump confirmed that a team of officials from his administration had worked on securing Gilman’s release, including envoy for hostage negotiations Adam Boehler, advisers Steve Witkoff and Sebastian Gorka, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Gilman’s mother, Nina, is on the plane returning to the US with him. Gilman, who served in the US Marines from August 2019 until August 2020, was one of at least 10 Americans known to be imprisoned in Russia.
His initial sentence was four and a half years, but it was extended several times as he was charged over alleged assaults while in prison. The US government’s recent designation of Gilman as wrongfully detained underscores the diplomatic friction surrounding his case. His release marks a significant development in US-Russia relations, though the exact circumstances of his health and the nature of his treatment remain subjects of dispute.
The return of Gilman highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Americans detained abroad. While the Trump administration has framed the release as a humanitarian gesture, the conflicting accounts of Gilman’s condition and the legal basis for his detention continue to draw attention from international observers and advocacy groups.
