Key facts
- Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan has been released from Russian custody.
- President Vladimir Putin granted Whelan a pardon on humanitarian grounds.
- Whelan was detained for over four years on disputed charges.
- Whelan's health had significantly deteriorated, leading to his release.
- Whelan was reportedly suffering from dissociative stupor and pneumonia.
- The U.S. State Department confirmed Whelan was wrongfully detained and released without concessions.
Russia has released Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who spent over four years in prison on disputed charges, after President Vladimir Putin granted him a pardon on humanitarian grounds. Whelan, 32, was reportedly suffering from dissociative stupor and pneumonia and was catatonic before his release. His family has consistently denied the allegations against him.
Concurrently, Russia released Robert Gilman, another former U.S. Marine, citing humanitarian reasons. Gilman had been jailed since 2022 on assault charges, with his sentence later extended to over 10 years for alleged attacks on prison guards. His health had significantly deteriorated, and he was reportedly suffering from dissociative stupor and pneumonia. U.S. officials had appealed to Moscow for his release for treatment in the U.S.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Gilman's release, stating that no prisoner exchange took place. The U.S. State Department confirmed Whelan's release, stating he was wrongfully detained and freed on humanitarian grounds without concessions. Whelan had been moved from a prison to a civilian hospital, where he was reportedly in a dire and life-threatening condition.
Gilman is on a plane to Washington, D.C., accompanied by his mother, Nancy, and U.S. officials, before being transported to Texas for treatment. The U.S. is still seeking the immediate return of all other unjustly detained Americans.