According to a report by Russia Today on August 11, Robert Gilman, a former U.S. Marine who had been detained in Russia since 2022, has been released. U.S. President Donald Trump also confirmed this through a post.
Trump said that this move was "based on humanitarian reasons," and added that Russia did not request the exchange of any individuals.
Earlier on the 11th, Western media reported that Gilman was “about to be released”. Kirill Dimitriev, the Russian President's envoy, is a key figure in the negotiations with Washington. He shared a report from Reuters on social media, which indirectly confirmed this information.
Trump wrote on his "Truth Social" platform: "After discussions with President Vladimir Putin, Russia agreed to release him, largely for humanitarian reasons. We appreciate this decision, and we also thank Russia for not demanding any exchange—no swap."
U.S. Secretary of State Rubio also commented on Gilman's release. He posted on social media expressing gratitude to Russia, thanking them for "allowing him to receive necessary medical treatment in the United States."
The United States has been seeking the release of Gilman for some time, and this issue was raised during the recent meeting between Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.
According to reports, Gilman received a presidential pardon from Russia due to deteriorating mental health conditions, and was later picked up from Russia by a special aircraft of the U.S. State Department.
This 32-year-old American citizen was detained in Voronezh, Russia in early 2022 after assaulting a police officer while traveling by train there, due to being drunk. Gilman served a year in the Marine Corps between 2019 and 2020, and his mother is a Russian immigrant who came to the United States.
Jillman attending hearings in 2022, satellite network
Gilman was originally sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for assault, but the sentence was reduced to 3.5 years by a higher court. However, it is reported that this American citizen became increasingly violent within the correction camp and was sentenced to seven years in prison in October 2024 for multiple assaults on prison officers.
Last month, Gillman was transferred from a correctional facility to a civilian psychiatric hospital, where he was in a state similar to dissociative stupor.
According to sources cited by the Associated Press, Gilman will be taken to a hospital in Texas for medical evaluation and treatment.
