updated
provocationPutin makes US whistleblower Snowden a Russian citizen
Edward Snowden has lived in Russia since 2013. Now he has received the passport – at a time when there is great tension between East and West.
The whistleblower has lived in Russia since 2013.
REUTERS
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Edward Snowden is now a Russian citizen.
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He and his wife do not want to risk being separated from their child,
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Snowden has lived in Russia since 2013.
Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin has granted US whistleblower Edward Snowden Russian citizenship. The 39-year-old’s name is on a list of new citizens and Russians surrendering their passports published by the Kremlin.
Snowden had previously revealed following his son’s birth in Russia that he was applying for citizenship to have the same rights as the child born in 2020, who received Russian citizenship automatically.
Russia granted asylum to Snowden and his wife Lindsay. They applied for Russian citizenship following birth. They didn’t want to risk being separated from their son, the American had said in 2020. They said they did not want to give up their American citizenship at the time.
In 2013, Snowden was stranded in Russia
The former intelligence worker has lived in Russia since fleeing US law enforcement in 2013. He had publicized the mass spying on e-mails, telephone calls and Internet activities by the US secret services in the name of national security and published secret documents.
To avoid being arrested in the US for espionage, he fled to Moscow via Hong Kong, where he received political asylum. According to his own statements, he wanted to go to Ecuador, but was stranded at the airport in Moscow following the US government canceled his passport.
(DPA)
