Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Democratic senators urge Trump administration on Americans detained in Russia
Some American people are being held in prison in Russia and are not allowed to go home to their families.
Russia is a big country far away, and the two countries don't always get along.
Important American leaders called senators are asking the President to help these people come home.
They sent a letter to the Secretary of State, who is the person in charge of talking to other countries.
The senators say the American government should officially call these people "wrongfully detained," which means holding them is not fair or right.
One American soldier, Robert Gilman, was just freed after being in Russia for a very long time.
There are still five other Americans who are being held.
The senators think the government needs a clear plan to bring them back.
They also want America to make sure the prisoners are treated well and can see consular helpers.
The senators hope the government will make bringing everyone home a big priority.
Sixteen Democratic senators urged the Trump administration to intensify efforts to secure the release of five US nationals detained in Russia, some for more than four years.
The appeal followed the release of US Marine veteran Robert Gilman, who had been detained in Russia since 2022 and freed after 1,666 days in custody.
The five detainees—Andre Khachatoorian, David Barnes, Olga Jezler, Alexsandr Antonov, and Charles "Chuck" Zimmerman—have not been formally designated as wrongfully detained.
The letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, led by Chuck Schumer, Mark Warner, and Tim Kaine, urges use of Levinson Act authorities to elevate the cases to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (SPEHA).
The senators also asked for a clear plan for release outside stalled negotiations over the war in Ukraine and urged consideration of designating Russia a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention.
- Who
- Sixteen Democratic senators led by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, who wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio
- What
- Urged the Trump administration to escalate efforts to free five US nationals detained in Russia and formally designate them as wrongfully detained under the Levinson Act
- When
- Following the release of Robert Gilman; as of Wednesday, Andre Khachatoorian had been held for 1,688 days
- Where
- Washington; the five US nationals are imprisoned in Russia
- Why
- Because the five Americans remain in Russian custody—some for more than four years—without wrongful detention designations, which the senators say would improve coordination, strengthen negotiations, and provide support to detainees and families
- Number of senators
- 16 (all Democrats)
- Letter recipient
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio
- Detained Americans
- Andre Khachatoorian, David Barnes, Olga Jezler, Alexsandr Antonov, Charles "Chuck" Zimmerman
- Longest detention
- 1,688 days (Andre Khachatoorian, as of Wednesday)
- Recently released
- US Marine veteran Robert Gilman, after 1,666 days in custody
- Only wrongfully designated detainee
- Stephen Hubbard, 74, designated in January 2025 (held since April 2022)
- Authorities cited
- Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act; Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (SPEHA)
- Requested designation
- Russia as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention (previously applied to Iran and Afghanistan)