A Marine held in a Russian prison since 2022 has been released and is headed back to the United States, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Robert Gilman
, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced in Russia to 4.5 years in prison in October 2022 on charges of assaulting a police officer while drunk. Gilman, 32, previously said he did not remember the assault and apologized to the officer and Russia."I am proud to announce that American Citizen Robert Gilman, a former United States Marine, is coming HOME!" Trump announced on Truth Social around noon ET on Tuesday. "I just spoke to him, and he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when he lands. I will take care of that!"
Gilman is expected to land at Joint Base Andrews in Washington, DC, in the
evening. Trump credited Russian President Vladimir Putin with granting Gilman’s release. The president said Gilman’s mother is with him on his flight back to the U.S.
The president shared a photo apparently showing Gilman on the flight back to the U.S. He appears pale and thin, and is surrounded by several people holding up an American flag.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US Marine Robert Gilman released after years in Russian prison
