Former US Marine held in Russia for more than 4 years on disputed
charges has been released
[August 12, 2026]
By BEN FINLEY and MATTHEW LEE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia released an American military veteran on
Tuesday, allowing his return to the U.S. after four years of what his
family and U.S. officials allege was wrongful incarceration and abusive
treatment that left him near death.
Robert Gilman, a 32-year-old Massachusetts teacher and former Marine,
was freed after President Donald Trump said he spoke with Russian
President Vladimir Putin about his release, which Trump said was “very
much on a Humanitarian Basis.”
“We appreciate this decision, and the fact that Russia asked for no one
in return — No exchange took place,” Trump said on his Truth Social
platform.
Arrests of Americans have become increasingly common in Russia in recent
years. Concern has risen that Russia could be targeting U.S. nationals
to use later as bargaining chips in talks to bring back Russians
convicted of crimes in the U.S. and Europe. Five other Americans remain
imprisoned in Russia with deteriorating medical issues, according to a
news release from Global Reach, a group that’s been working to free
them.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted a photo on social media of a
gaunt-looking Gilman draped in an American flag and surrounded by his
family aboard an airplane.
“While we appreciate this positive step, we are still seeking the
immediate return of all other unjustly detained Americans,” Rubio
stated.
Gilman will arrive at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland outside of
Washington on Tuesday evening, Trump said in his post.
“I just spoke to him, and he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when
he lands,” Trump wrote. “I will take care of that!”
Gilman is bound for a military hospital in Texas, where he will be
medically and psychologically assessed and treated, Eric Lebson, chief
strategy officer of Global Reach, said in a statement.
Gilman had his prison sentence extended three times
Gilman was detained in 2022 on charges of beating a police officer after
being taken off a train for causing a disturbance. He was convicted and
handed a 3.5-year sentence.
He later was convicted of attacking a prison inspector during a cell
check, beating an investigator and assaulting a guard. In October 2024,
he was sentenced to eight years and one month. His sentence was extended
in December to 10 years after he was found guilty of assaulting prison
guards.
Russian media reported that he pleaded guilty to the charges and
apologized to the guards he was charged with assaulting. The business
daily Kommersant said he explained his actions by saying he wanted to
stay in the prison where he was serving his sentence and avoid being
moved to another penitentiary.
Gilman’s father has disputed the charges against his son, while the
State Department has said the U.S. determined that Gilman was wrongfully
detained,
Gilman's sister, Lexie Hudson, credited Trump and U.S. Sen. Ed Markey of
Massachusetts with bringing about his release.
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This photo provided by the family shows Robert Gilman and his
sister, Lexie Hudson, in Lilburn, Ga., in 2019. (Gilman family via
AP)
“There is no other reason that Robert is alive today other than that
President Trump heard about the case and took action,” said Hudson,
who thanked Markey “for leading our advocacy efforts in Congress.”
“The Russians treated my brother so badly," Hudson said. "They hurt
him for no reason, other than that he was both an American and a
Marine. What did they get out of this? Why did they do this to such
a wonderful person?”
Russian officials did not immediately comment on Gilman's release.
Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service did not respond to a request
for comment on his health deteriorating behind bars.
Gilman was hospitalized before his release
Gilman’s lawyer Irina Brazhnikova told the Russian news agency
Interfax on Friday that Gilman was in a psychiatric ward of a
civilian hospital, where he’s been since early July.
He was there “due to a psychiatric condition,” and according to
doctors, his condition has worsened, but neither his defense
lawyers, nor his family were allowed to visit, she said.
Before Gilman was flown out of Russia, he had been in “a
dissociative stupor” for 47 days due to the abuse he had suffered in
prison, according to Lebson. After Gilman was moved to the hospital,
he was hooked up to a feeding tube and handcuffed to a bed.
Hospital reports conveyed Gilman’s condition “as dire and
life-threatening,” pushing the U.S. government into action and
leading to his release, Lebson said.
Markey had called on Russia and the U.S. to work together to get
Gilman released. He was among at least eight Americans who remained
in Russian custody after a series of high-profile prisoner exchanges
with the U.S. in recent years.
Markey blamed Russia for Gilman's poor health, saying his return to
the U.S. was long overdue.
“It is a tragedy that it took Robert’s near-death condition for his
case to receive the attention that it required for his release to be
negotiated," Markey said. "Throughout his detention, Robert was
subjected to physical torture, forced medication, and provocations
by Russian authorities. There is no doubt that his treatment by
Russian authorities is the reason Robert is in this precarious state
today.”
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