Robert Gilman, a 32-year-old former US Marine, was released from Russian detention on humanitarian grounds on August 11, 2026, after nearly four and a half years behind bars [1, 2, 3]. Gilman had been jailed since January 17, 2022, following his arrest in Voronezh, Russia, for allegedly kicking a police officer while drunk during a train journey [1, 2, 3, 4].
Originally sentenced to 4.5 years, Gilman's prison term was later extended to 10 years due to accusations of violence against prison personnel. His family and advocates, however, dispute these charges, saying the officer was accidentally kicked while Gilman was ill [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Gilman's father, a Russian immigrant to Massachusetts, published an op-ed in October 2024 challenging the assault claims as inconsistent [2, 3].
In recent months, Gilman's health deteriorated sharply. By late June 2026, he had been transferred from a prison hospital to a civilian psychiatric ward after being diagnosed with a dissociative stupor and catatonic-like state. A family representative said Gilman was being fed through a tube and feared he would die in custody [1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 4]. Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey said Gilman had been essentially non-responsive and suffering from severe pneumonia just 50 days ago, with unknown long-term impacts [1].
President Donald Trump credited his discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin for securing Gilman's release "very much on a Humanitarian Basis" without any prisoner exchange. Trump said, "We appreciate this decision, and the fact that Russia asked for no one in return" [1, 11, 12]. Senator Ed Markey and Gilman's sister Lexie Hudson also publicly thanked Trump and officials for their efforts. Hudson said, "There is no other reason that Robert is alive today other than that President Trump heard about the case and took action" [1, 3].
Gilman was accompanied by his mother and attended to by US officials and doctors during the flight to the United States. Officials described him as walking and talking and "in good shape" despite his prior critical condition [1, 2, 3, 11]. Upon arrival in Washington, D.C., Gilman will be flown to a rehabilitation center in San Antonio, Texas, for ongoing medical care and recovery [2, 3, 11, 12].
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed gratitude to Russia and US envoy Steve Witkoff for their cooperation in securing Gilman's release and access to medical treatment in the US [5, 6, 8, 9]. Gilman’s detention lasted approximately 1,666 days, or 4.5 years [4].
