Former United States Marine Robert Gilman was freed from Russian detention on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, after Russian President Vladimir Putin granted him a humanitarian pardon. According to U.S. President Donald Trump, the release involved no prisoner exchange or concessions from Washington, marking a diplomatic resolution after Gilman had been jailed in the country since 2022 in a Voronezh prison.
The Release and Return to the United States
President Trump announced the release on social media, stating that Gilman was scheduled to arrive at Joint Base Andrews near Washington on Tuesday night, according to Reuters. U.S. officials reported that a Russian senior official, Yuri Ushakov, informed Trump aides that Putin agreed to sign the decree pardoning Gilman following discussions between the two leaders. The White House and the State Department had previously pressed Moscow for Gilman’s release so he could access medical care in the U.S.
Trump thanked U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, senior director for counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka, Jared Kushner, and U.S. special envoy for hostage response Adam Boehler for securing the release. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that Gilman’s return brings the total number of U.S. citizens secured during Trump’s second term to 100, while calling for the release of other Americans detained in Russia, such as retired schoolteacher Stephen Hubbard.
Medical Evaluation and Health Status
Gilman was accompanied on the flight home by four doctors who planned to evaluate him en route, according to U.S. officials. Following his arrival, he is expected to be transferred to a rehabilitation center in San Antonio, Texas, for ongoing medical treatment. Trump shared a photo on social media showing a gaunt Gilman on a plane surrounded by an American flag and smiling people, adding that Gilman’s first request upon landing was a cheeseburger.
Prior to his release, Gilman’s medical condition drew concern from advocates. Eric Lebson, chief strategy officer for Global Reach—an advocacy group representing the Gilman family—told Reuters that Gilman was moved in late June from the prison hospital to the psychiatric ward of a civilian emergency hospital in Voronezh. Lebson described Gilman as being in a catatonic-like state assessed as a “dissociative stupor.” However, a U.S. official who spoke with Gilman prior to his departure stated that he was walking and talking, assessing him to be in relatively good shape given the circumstances.
Background of the Case
Gilman, who served in the U.S. Marines from August 2019 to August 2020, was arrested in January 2022 while traveling by train in Voronezh, located about 340 miles south of Moscow. Russian state media claimed he was detained for allegedly kicking a police officer while intoxicated. His father, Vladimir Gilman, disputed the charges in an October 2024 op-ed in the Boston Globe, writing that his son had fallen ill during the incident and accidentally kicked the officer. According to the elder Gilman, the officer was uninjured, dropped the charges, and did not present evidence at trial. A Russian court subsequently sentenced Robert Gilman to four and a half years in prison.
Gilman’s release follows several high-profile prisoner swaps between the U.S. and Russia in recent years. In December 2022, the Biden administration traded Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for WNBA star Brittney Griner. In August 2024, a broader 24-person prisoner swap freed Americans including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former Marine Paul Whelan, and journalist Alsu Kurmasheva in exchange for convicted assassin Vadim Krasikov and other operatives held in the West. Unlike those cases, officials confirmed that Russia requested no prisoners or concessions in return for Gilman’s freedom.
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