Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday granting Russian citizenship to the US whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Snowden, 39, a former US intelligence contractor, has been dwelling in Russia since 2013 to flee prosecution within the US after leaking secret recordsdata, revealed by the Guardian, that exposed huge home and worldwide surveillance operations carried out by the US Nationwide Safety Company.
In 2020, Snowden mentioned that he and his then-pregnant spouse have been making use of for Russian citizenship so as to not be separated from their future son in an period of pandemics and closed borders. Russia granted him everlasting residency rights the identical 12 months, paving the best way for him to acquire Russian citizenship.
“After years of separation from our dad and mom, my spouse and I've no need to be separated from our sons,” Snowden, whose title appeared on a listing of 72 foreign-born people for whom Putin was granting citizenship, mentioned on Monday. “After two years of ready and almost ten years of exile, a bit stability will make a distinction for my household. I pray for privateness for them—and for us all.”
Putin’s decree to grant Snowden citizenship shortly led to quips on social media that the whistleblower will quickly be conscripted into the Russian military to struggle in Ukraine as a part of the nation’s nationwide mobilisation marketing campaign.
“Will Snowden be mobilised?” wrote Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of the state-owned broadcaster RT on her Telegram channel.
Snowden’s Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena informed the state information company Ria Novosti that his consumer couldn't be drafted as a result of he has not beforehand served within the Russian armed forces. The lawyer added that Snowden’s spouse, Lindsay Mills, was additionally making use of for Russian citizenship.
The whistleblower largely retains a low profile whereas dwelling in Russia, often posting images of his household in Moscow. He has mentioned in 2019 that he was keen to return to the US if he’s assured a good trial.
Snowden, who has beforehand criticised Kremlin’s human rights report, has not commented in public concerning the nation’s invasion of Ukraine. Previous to the conflict, he repeatedly voiced doubts that Russia would begin a conflict, blaming the media for “pushing” the battle.
“I’ve simply misplaced any confidence I had that sharing my considering on this specific matter continues to be helpful as a result of I known as it unsuitable,” Snowden wrote on Twitter on 27 February, three days after Russia despatched its troops to Ukraine.
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