Russia has released Robert Gilman, a 32-year-old former US Marine and English teacher from Massachusetts, after more than four years in detention under conditions described as abusive and life-threatening. Gilman was on a flight back to the United States accompanied by his mother, doctors, and members of the administration, and is expected to receive medical and psychological treatment at a US military hospital in Texas. His family has travelled to Texas to be with him.

President Donald Trump announced the release on Truth Social, writing that he had personally spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that Russia had agreed to free Gilman "very much on a humanitarian basis." Notably, the US State Department confirmed that the release was not part of a prisoner exchange and that no concessions were provided — a significant departure from previous releases of Americans held in Russia, which have typically involved reciprocal swaps. Trump added that he spoke with Gilman by phone, and that the former Marine had one request: "a great cheeseburger when he lands."

Gilman was first arrested in January 2022 after being removed from a train in Voronezh, a city roughly 500 kilometres south of Moscow, for allegedly causing a disturbance while intoxicated. He was convicted of kicking a police officer and given an initial sentence of three and a half years. His family disputed the charges, saying he had fallen ill on the train and accidentally made contact with the officer, who was uninjured and later withdrew his complaint. Despite this, Gilman's sentence was repeatedly extended — reaching ten years — following additional convictions for allegedly assaulting prison staff and guards.

Advocacy group Global Reach, which had been working to secure his release, warned in the days before his release that Gilman's condition had become dire. According to the group, he had been in a "dissociative stupor" for 47 days as a result of sustained abuse in custody, which included forced exercise sessions lasting up to 16 hours and the administration of psychotropic drugs. He had been transferred from prison to a civilian hospital, where he was connected to a feeding tube and handcuffed to a bed. Hospital reports described his condition as life-threatening.

Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, who had led congressional advocacy efforts for Gilman, welcomed the release but said it was a tragedy that it had taken a near-death situation to force action. The State Department called the release "a welcome step" and called on Russia to free other Americans still in custody, including Stephen Hubbard. According to Global Reach, at least five other Americans — Aleksandr Antonov, David Barnes, Olga Jezler, Andre Khachatoorian, and Chuck Zimmerman — remain detained in Russia, each reportedly facing medical difficulties.