Robert Gilman was on "death's door" before Russia freed him, advocate says

Robert Gilman, a U.S. Marine veteran held in Russia for more than four years, was released this week and is now in Texas receiving medical care. A hostage crisis expert involved in his release stated that Gilman was nearly "death's door" before his freedom was secured.

Gilman, 32, a teacher from Massachusetts, was detained in Russia in 2022. Concerns about his deteriorating health surfaced last week when advocates reported he was being held in a Russian hospital in a "dissociative stupor" and required tube feeding. Kieran Ramsey, chief investigative officer with Global Reach, an organization that worked for his release, expressed gratitude for his return to U.S. soil and confirmed he is receiving care at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

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We had to wait 'til almost we were on death's door with him to be able to spur the right kind of action that got his release.

Eric Lebson, chief strategy officer at Global Reach, alleged that Russian authorities subjected Gilman to mistreatment. These claims include harassment, excessively long forced exercise sessions, and the administration of psychotropic drugs. Lebson also stated Gilman was pressured to fight in Ukraine, though CBS News has not independently verified these allegations, and Russian officials have not publicly responded.

According to a State Department spokesperson, the Trump administration had consistently raised Gilman's case with the Russian government, requesting his release on humanitarian grounds due to his critical health condition. Lebson described Gilman's situation as "far beyond anything we have seen with any other American detained in Russia." The administration had previously secured the release of other Americans from Russia, and Ramsey noted that 10 other Americans remain detained there, with others held in Iran and China.

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The situation with Robert is far beyond anything we have seen with any other American detained in Russia.