Edward Snowden, a former NSA worker, now holds Russian citizenship thanks to President Vladimir Putin. For disclosing vast amounts of material to the media about US intelligence and mass surveillance operations, Snowden is being accused of espionage and stealing federal property in the US.
Past Story of Edward Snowden
After the 2013 public exposure of the sensitive information, Snowden traveled to Hong Kong and has since been isolated in Moscow. In the US, he may spend up to 30 years behind bars. Snowden and his wife Lindsay Mills submitted a citizenship application to Russia in November 2020. In Russia, he had previously been granted indefinite residence.
A few days after threatening to intensify his war in Ukraine and proclaiming the “partial mobilization” of Russians, Putin decided to award Snowden citizenship. Snowden had communicated with Russian intelligence agents since his arrival. He tweeted in response to the charges that they allege without proof that I’m involved in collusion with the Russians.
After several years of separation from his parents and his wife, Snowden claimed that he is currently not ready to be apart from his sons. After two months of struggle and a decade of exile, his family will benefit from some consistency. He requests both their security.
Russian Citizenship
According to Snowden’s attorney Anatoly Kucherena, he would not be exempted from the partial mobilization ordered by Putin because he was not a member of the Russian Army. As a result, his wife Mills will acquire Russian citizenship after Snowden. Since their son was born in the Russian Federation, he had already been granted Russian citizenship upon his birth.
