Overview
- U.S. officials announced that Robert Gilman, a former U.S. Marine detained in Russia since 2022, has been released and returned to the United States.
- The State Department said special envoy Steve Witkoff helped negotiate the release and characterized the case as one of more than 100 Americans freed that the administration considered wrongfully detained.
- Global Reach, the NGO handling Gilman’s case, told CBS that he is gravely ill and at risk of death after alleged mistreatment in custody, including forced labor and pressure to fight in Ukraine.
- Gilman will be evaluated and treated at a U.S. military hospital in Texas, and officials say he arrived on a flight accompanied by family and U.S. personnel.
- The administration said it will continue diplomatic efforts to secure the release of other Americans held in Russia, including Stephen Hubbard, while advocates highlight concerns about politicized charges and prison abuse.