Marine Corps veteran Robert Gilman has returned to American soil and is receiving medical and psychological care after four years of imprisonment in Russia, where his family and U.S. officials allege he suffered abuse that left him in a "near-death condition."
Gilman, 32, arrived at Dulles Airport outside Washington, D.C., late Tuesday. He was subsequently flown to San Antonio to undergo treatment at Brooke Army Medical Center. A U.S. official on his return flight reported that Gilman was walking, talking, and had been evaluated by four doctors, stating, "All things considered, he seems to be in good shape."
Gilman, a teacher and retired Marine from Massachusetts, was initially sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison for kicking a police officer, an action his family maintains was unintentional due to illness. Russian authorities later added convictions for allegedly attacking prison officials and guards, which extended his sentence to 10 years by December.
Gilman's sister, Lexie Hudson, accused Russian authorities of mistreating her brother, stating, "The Russians treated my brother so badly. They hurt him for no reason, other than that he was both an American and a Marine."
Sen. Ed Markey, who also worked on Gilman's release, reported that the veteran's health deteriorated significantly in the weeks prior to his freedom, leaving him in a critical state. Gilman's Russian attorney, Irina Brazhnikova, confirmed he had been hospitalized in a psychiatric ward since early July due to a psychiatric condition, and that neither his legal team nor his family had been permitted to visit him. Eric Lebson, a representative from an organization that aided in Gilman's release, stated that the veteran suffered a "dissociative stupor" for 47 days as a result of the alleged abuse.
Markey further alleged that Russian authorities subjected Gilman to physical torture, forced medication, and provocations during his incarceration. President Trump announced Gilman's return, stating on X that the veteran was released on a "Humanitarian Basis" without a broader prisoner swap. Gilman was greeted with meals like milkshakes and hamburgers upon his arrival in the U.S. He appeared pale and gaunt in photos taken on his flight home.