The White House and the US Department of State called on Moscow to…
The White House and the US Department of State called on Moscow to release 32-year-old Robert Gilman, who has been in Russian custody since 2022, so that he can receive urgent medical treatment in the United States.
Consensus
- The United States has requested Russia to release Robert Gilmans to allow him to receive medical treatment in the U.S.
- Robert Gilman is a 32-year-old former U.S. marine who was sentenced in Russia for violence against law enforcement and prison staff.
- The request was made by the White House and the U.S. State Department.
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised the issue with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting in Manila on July 23.
- Gilman was sentenced by the Central District Court of Voronezh in October 2024 to seven years and one month in a strict-regime colony.
- Gilman was transferred to a psychiatric department of a civilian emergency medical facility in a catatonic state in June.
- The production of one of the two criminal cases against Gilman was suspended in July 2024 due to his mental illness or serious health condition.
- Gilman was previously detained in January 2022 after a drunken brawl on a train from Sukhumi to Moscow and assaulted a police officer.
Points of divergence
- Gilman has been in a coma since June, being fed through a tube. — fontanka
- The U.S. has previously discussed a prisoner swap with Russia involving Gilman, referencing a '9 on 9' exchange formula during a phone call between Putin and Trump in May 2025. — fontanka
- Gilman was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison in 2022 for assaulting a police officer, and later received an additional year in April 2025, increasing his total sentence to ten years and one month. — fontanka
- Gilman was diagnosed with 'dissociative stupor' in June. — vedomosti
- Gilman has not been granted the status of 'wrongfully detained' by the U.S., and therefore the U.S. does not consider his release a priority under that classification. — vm
- Gilman called the sentence 'barbaric' and claimed law enforcement provoked the incidents. — vm
Coverage (3 sources)
- USA asked Russia to release imprisoned American Gilman — Ведомости
- Reuters: White House asked Moscow to release one American — Фонтанка
- Reuters: U.S. approached Moscow over sentenced American Gilman — Вечерняя Москва
Key entities
More on Robert Gillman
- U.S. Marine Gilman Released by Russia After Health Crisis
- U.S. Pushes for Release of Convicted Mercenary Hubbard
- U.S. Marine Gilman Released from Russian Prison
More on Marco Rubio
- U.S. Revokes 600+ Visas Over Birth Tourism
- U.S. Pushes for Release of Convicted Mercenary Hubbard
- Russia frees U.S. citizen Gilman after four years