Former US safety contractor Snowden is one in all 75 overseas nationals listed by the decree as being granted Russian citizenship.
President Vladimir Putin has granted Russian citizenship to former US safety contractor Edward Snowden, in accordance with a decree signed by the Russian chief.
Snowden is one in all 75 overseas nationals granted Russian citizenship by the decree printed on an official authorities web site on Monday.
Snowden, 39, a former contractor with the US Nationwide Safety Company, has been residing in Russia since 2013 to flee prosecution within the US after leaking categorised paperwork detailing authorities surveillance programmes.
The paperwork revealed huge home and worldwide surveillance operations carried out by the Nationwide Safety Company.
He was granted everlasting residency in 2020 and stated on the time that he deliberate to use for Russian citizenship, with out renouncing his US citizenship.
That 12 months a US appeals courtroom discovered the programme Snowden had uncovered was illegal and that the US intelligence leaders who publicly defended it weren’t telling the reality.
US authorities have for years needed Snowden to be returned to the US to face a felony trial on espionage fees.
The transfer comes at a time when relations between Washington and Moscow are at historic lows over the battle in Ukraine.
Snowden’s lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, informed Russia’s state information company RIA Novosti that the previous contractor’s spouse Lindsay Mills, an American who has been residing with him in Russia, may even be making use of for a Russian passport.
The couple had a baby in December 2020, who already has a Russian passport having been born within the nation.
Snowden, who has stored a low profile in Russia and sometimes criticised Russian authorities insurance policies on social media, stated in 2019 that he was prepared to return to the US if he’s assured a good trial.
He has not commented on being granted Russian citizenship.
Putin, a former Russian spy chief, stated in 2017 that Snowden was fallacious to leak US secrets and techniques however was not a traitor.
Putin final week introduced a mobilisation of Russian males to contribute to the military’s battle in Ukraine and Kucherena stated Snowden wouldn’t be referred to as as much as serve given he had no prior expertise within the Russian military.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in the meantime informed information businesses that Snowden had acquired Russian citizenship because of his personal request.