Former CIA and National Security Agency officer Edward Snowden received a Russian passport. This was announced by his lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena.
“Edward took the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation yesterday and took the oath in accordance with the law,” said the lawyer.
Snowden’s wife will also receive Russian citizenship. “We are currently collecting the necessary documents for the citizenship application. “I don’t think the process will take too long,” he said.
Journalists asked the lawyer how Snowden perceived getting a Russian passport.
“Of course he is happy, now a full-fledged citizen of the Russian Federation, thanks to the Russian Federation for obtaining citizenship. And most importantly, he can no longer be extradited to a foreign state, according to the Russian Constitution.” Kucherena also stated that she saw her client Snowden “in good standing.”
Snowden also demanded respect for privacy, stating that stability after obtaining Russian citizenship would positively affect the life of his family.
“After two years of waiting and almost a decade in exile, a little stability will have a positive effect on my family. “I pray for privacy for them and for all of us.”
The USA awaits his return.
The former CIA officer received Russian citizenship on September 26. The naturalization decree was signed by Vladimir Putin. Snowden received an indefinite residence permit in Russia in October 2020, and announced that he plans to acquire citizenship with his wife at the same time. Snowden married Lindsey Mills in the Russian registry office in 2017.
He stressed that he would retain his American citizenship and raise his child “in the spirit of American values”, including freedom of expression.
When Snowden was officially granted Russian citizenship on September 26, the head of the US State Department’s press service, Ned Price, said that the position of the American authorities regarding the former CIA officer had not changed.
“Mr Snowden must return to the United States and face justice like any American citizen,” he said.
Price also noted that he “apparently could well be summoned now” to participate in hostilities in Ukraine. Snowden’s lawyer denied such a scenario. According to him, Snowden does not fall into the category of conscripts, since he did not serve in the Russian army.
US claims
In 2013, Snowden, an employee of the US National Security Agency, gave confidential information to reporters from The Washington Post and The Guardian about the American intelligence services monitoring the information communications of citizens around the world. It turned out that the secret service has been tracking 35 heads of state and government of the world for over five years.
After the release of these data, Snowden left the United States and fled to Hong Kong, after which he received political asylum in Russia once in the Sheremetyevo transit zone. According to him, he applied for asylum in 27 countries, but all of them rejected him, fearing Washington’s sanctions.
A former intelligence officer in the United States faces up to 30 years in prison for espionage and stealing government property.