Former US Marine reunited with family after Russia releases him from four-year imprisonment

Robert has been reunited with his family after four years (Picture: Truth Social)

An American imprisoned in Russia since 2022 is on his way home after years in a penal colony.

Robert Gilman,a 32-year-old former US Marine,was imprisoned in Russia but has now been freed after his health took a serious turn.

His family said earlier this week that they feared he would die soon after sustaining alleged physical and psychological torture for years.

Donald Trump shared on Truth Social today: ‘After my discussions with President Vladimir Putin,Russia has agreed to release him,very much on a Humanitarian Basis.

‘We appreciate this decision,and the fact that Russia asked for no one in return — No exchange took place.’

The Kremlin also confirmed that Gilman was released for ‘humanitarian reasons’.

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Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.Gilman appeared in court in April but his condition quickly deteriorated (Picture: Reuters)Trump has reportedly spoken with Gilman and his family already,telling reporters that the former US Marine requested a ‘great cheeseburger’ when he’s back in the United States.CNN reported that Gilman will likely receive medical care at a military hospital in Texas.He’s currently receiving treatment on a specialised medical plane until he reaches American soil.Gilman is one of many Americans who have been imprisoned in Russia.In early 2022,he was detained after officials claimed he was drunk and got into an ‘altercation’ with a police officer.Gilman has denied this,but he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.In 2024,a US reporter,a former Marine and a Russian-American journalist were released in a prisoner swap that was one of the biggest since the end of the Cold War.Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich,ex-US Marine Paul Whelan and radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva were part of the swap.Also freed was Vladimir Kara-Murza,who was part of Russia’s beleaguered opposition,was behind bars since April 2022,and suffered two near-fatal poisoning attempts in the years before his arrest.Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at .For more stories like this,check our news page.