Russia has released former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman on humanitarian grounds following severe health issues, the U.S. Department of State announced. In an email, a State Department spokesperson said the agency was pleased to welcome Gilman back to the United States. The spokesperson specified that his release was not part of a prisoner swap and that no concessions were made.
A court in southwestern Russia sentenced Gilman in 2022 to four and a half years in prison for assaulting a police officer. Russian authorities later extended his sentence to 10 years following allegations of violence against prison staff. The U.S. Department of State confirmed that it had recently designated Gilman as wrongfully detained.
Health concerns and other detainees
Gilman's sister, Lexi Hudson, had appealed for his urgent release in a recent message, pointing to a serious deterioration in his health condition.
The Department of State added that the administration will continue working to secure the release of all Americans wrongfully held in Russia. Among them is Stephen Hubbard, a retired English teacher whom the department described as a victim of unlawful detention. A Russian court sentenced Hubbard in a closed-doors trial in October 2024 to nearly seven years in prison for allegedly serving as a mercenary for Ukraine, a charge Hubbard denied.
