Russia Pardons and Frees Ailing Ex-US Marine Robert Gilman
Former US Marine Robert Gilman, 32, has been released from a Russian prison after being pardoned by President Vladimir Putin on humanitarian grounds. He was flown to Washington D.C. to receive medical treatment.
Key takeaways
- Former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman has been released from Russian detention after receiving a presidential pardon on humanitarian grounds.
- Gilman, imprisoned since January 2022, was flown to Washington D.C. and is expected to receive medical treatment in Texas.
- U.S. officials stated that his release was a goodwill gesture, with no prisoner exchange or concessions made.
- His father had previously claimed the charges leading to his son's arrest and conviction were false.
Former United States Marine Robert Gilman, 32, was released from detention in Russia on Tuesday following a pardon by President Vladimir Putin. The pardon was granted on humanitarian grounds, according to U.S. officials.
Gilman, who had been imprisoned since January 2022, was transported from Russia on a State Department plane bound for Washington Dulles Airport. U.S. officials indicated that he would undergo medical evaluation during the flight and potentially be transferred to a rehabilitation center in San Antonio, Texas, for further treatment.
The U.S. government, including the White House and State Department, had actively sought Gilman's release to enable him to receive medical care in the United States. Details regarding the specifics of his health condition remain unclear, though reports from last week indicated he was moved from a prison hospital to the psychiatric ward of a civilian hospital in a state described as "dissociative stupor." A U.S. official who spoke with Gilman during his journey reported that he was walking and talking.
Background
Robert Gilman served in the U.S. Marines from August 2019 to August 2020. His arrest occurred in January 2022 in Voronezh while he was traveling by train. Russian state media reported that he was detained for allegedly kicking a police officer while intoxicated. However, his father has contested these charges, stating his son was ill at the time and the incident was accidental. The officer reportedly sustained no injuries, dropped the charges, and did not present evidence during Gilman's trial.
Gilman was sentenced to four and a half years in prison. His case was part of a broader context where at least ten Americans were known to be held in Russia. The pardon and release were reportedly the result of intensive negotiations between U.S. and Russian officials.
Key Facts
- Former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman, 32, was released from detention in Russia on Tuesday.
- President Vladimir Putin approved a pardon for Gilman on humanitarian grounds.
- Gilman was imprisoned in Voronezh, Russia, since January 2022.
- U.S. officials stated that Gilman was transported from Russia on a State Department plane to Washington Dulles Airport.
- His father, Vladimir Gilman, contested the charges of kicking a police officer while drunk, stating his son was ill and the kick was accidental.
- Robert Gilman was sentenced to 4-1/2 years in jail.
- U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and deputy national security adviser Sebastian Gorka were among officials who sought Gilman's release.
- The U.S. stated that no Russian prisoners were exchanged and no concessions were made for Gilman's release.
- A State Department spokesperson noted Gilman had been designated as wrongfully detained.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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