Edward Snowden received Russian citizenship

Russian President Vladimir Putin granted Russian citizenship to American Edward Snowden. A decree on this was published on the official Internet portal of legal information.

Interfax asked lawyer Anatoly Kucherena, who represents Snowden’s interests, whether his client is now subject to conscription into the Russian army as part of mobilization. “Since Edward did not serve in the Russian army, has no practice and experience of military service, he is not subject to conscription,” Kucherena replied.

At the same time, there are more than one cases in Russia where people who had never served in it were drafted into the army.

In 2013, Snowden provided journalists with information about the surveillance programs of the CIA and the US National Security Agency (NSA) on citizens. After this he fled the country. In the US, he faces 30 years in prison for disclosing classified information.

Snowden went first to Hong Kong and then to Russia. He spent more than a month in the transit zone of Sheremetyevo airport. Snowden was then granted temporary asylum in the Russian Federation. In 2020, he received an indefinite residence permit in the country andapplied for Russian citizenship.