Vladimir Putin on Monday granted Russian citizenship to Edward Snowden, a former US National Security Agency (NSA) employee, who has been a refugee in Russia since 2013 after leaving the United States.
Snowden’s name appears along with dozens of others in a decree posted on the Russian government’s website.
The United States alleges that Snowden has made available to the press tens of thousands of documents proving the extent of electronic surveillance in Washington.
Snowden said in November 2020 that he had applied for Russian citizenship but intended to retain American nationality.
The former US intelligence officer revealed in 2013 that the US government has been spying on its citizens and living in exile in Russia since he made those revelations.
In recent years, Russia has relaxed its strict citizenship laws, allowing individuals to obtain Russian passports without giving up their original nationality.
Snowden’s lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that the wife of former NSA operative Lindsay Mills will also apply for Russian citizenship and that their daughter already had a Russian passport as a result of her birth in the country.
Putin last week announced a mobilization of Russian men to contribute to the war in Ukraine, but Kucherena insisted Snowden could not be drafted because he has no military experience.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told news agencies that Snowden had been granted Russian citizenship following his own application.
Source: DN
