NewsWorld newsRussiaFormer US Marine and English teacher Robert Gilman, 32, was arrested in January 2022 in Voronezh after he was accused of assaulting a police officer15:56, 11 Aug 2026Updated 16:08, 11 Aug 2026A former US Marine and English teacher imprisoned in Russia has been freed after his family said he was “near death”.‌Robert Gilman, 32, was arrested in January 2022 in Voronezh, about 340 miles (550 kilometers) south of Moscow, after an incident in which he was accused of assaulting a police officer.‌Vladimir Putin has approved a pardon for the ailing American based on humanitarian reasons, U.S. officials said.‌A court sentenced him to two years in prison in October 2022 but in December, a judge handed him an additional eight-year prison sentence for allegedly attacking guards at the prison where he was being held.The exact circumstances of his health are unclear but his family have previously appealed to the Russian authorities for his release, stating that he was “near death” following months of alleged torture.Article continues belowNow US officials have said that Gilman is on a plane today, headed from Russia to Washington Dulles Airport. “All things considered he seems to be in good shape,” official who spoke to Gilman said. The official confirmed Gilman was walking and talking.He was accompanied on the State Department plane by four doctors, officials said, who will evaluate his health. His mother, Nina, is also on board.This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link. You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage.Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Breaking NewsRussiaVladimir Putin