Vladimir Putin grants US whistleblower Edward Snowden Russian citizenship amid international crisis

The decision was announced in an international environment under tension between Russia and the West War in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has granted Russian citizenship to former US National Security Agency (NSA) employee Edward Snowden, who has been a refugee in Russia since 2013, according to a decree issued on Monday (26 September).

Mr. Snowden’s name appears. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the RIA Novosti news agency that the Russian citizenship was granted following his own request – without specifying when it was made. Edward Snowden has yet to publicly respond to the decision.

However, his Russian lawyer, Anatoly Koutcherina, indicated that he would not be bothered The mobilization order ordered by Vladimir Putin last week For the hundreds of thousands of Russian reserves on the war front in Ukraine. “He did not serve in the Russian army, therefore, according to our current law, he does not fall into this category of citizens, as it is now called”He told RIA Novosti.

In Russia since June 2013

According to him, Mr Snowden’s partner Lindsay Mills has also applied for Russian citizenship and their daughter was born in Russia and already has it.

The whistleblower responded on the social network Twitter, while revealing the birth of her second child: ” After years of separation as parents, my wife and I did not want to be separated from our children. After two years of waiting, almost ten years of migration, some stability would make a difference for my family. I pray that they and all of us have privacy. »

After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I did not want to be separated from our sons. After two… https://t.co/kNDbn0tH8E

—Snowden (@EdwardSnowden)

Edward Snowden, 39, is wanted by the United States For leaking tens of thousands of NSA documents to the press Demonstrates the extent of electronic surveillance carried out by Washington.

These revelations of US government spying practices fueled very strong tensions between the country and its allies. The decision of the Russian authorities to grant him a residence permit An enraged Washington.

Edward Snowden, who lost his American passport at the request of the United States, arrived in Moscow from Hong Kong in June 2013 and wanted to seek asylum in Latin America. He eventually found himself stranded in Russia, where he was later granted asylum.