Robert Gilman, a former U.S. Marine who had been detained in Russia since 2022, was released on Tuesday, August 11 on humanitarian grounds and is set to return to the United States.
President Donald Trump announced the development in a Truth Social post. “I am proud to announce that American Citizen Robert Gilman, a former United States Marine, is coming HOME! In a well known Media story, Robert was imprisoned in Russia in 2022, during the Biden Administration. After my discussions with President Vladimir Putin, Russia has agreed to release him, very much on a Humanitarian Basis,” the president wrote.
“We appreciate this decision, and the fact that Russia asked for no one in return — No exchange took place. Robert will land at Andrews Air Force Base, in Washington, D.C., tonight, where my Representatives, some of whom are on the plane with him, will welcome Robert back to THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! I just spoke to him, and he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when he lands. I will take care of that!”
He went on to state that the administration prioritizes the safe return of any Americans unjustly detained abroad. “Thank you to my incredible Team, including Special Envoy for Peace Missions, Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy for Hostage Response, Adam Boehler, Senior Director for Counterterrorism, Sebastian Gorka, Jared Kushner, and the many others who made this possible,” the post added.
BREAKING: Marine veteran Robert Gilman freed by Russia, where US says he was wrongfully detained for 1,666 days pic.twitter.com/mQVI2sotgs
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 11, 2026
Gillman, 32, a Massachusetts native, served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2019 to 2020 and later worked as a teacher. He was arrested on January 17, 2022, in Voronezh, Russia for allegedly causing a disturbance with a police officer while intoxicated.
He received an initial sentence of approximately three and a half to four and a half years. Additional convictions followed for incidents involving a prison inspector, an investigator, and guards, extending the total sentence to 10 years. The U.S. government designated him as wrongfully detained.
His condition had deteriorated significantly in detention. Advocates reported that he entered a dissociative stupor lasting about 47 to 50 days, during which he was non-responsive, unable to interact or eat, and received nutrition through a feeding tube while handcuffed to a hospital bed after transfer from prison to a civilian facility.
He has also experienced severe pneumonia and other health issues, with his overall condition described as “life-threatening” prior to release.
