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In full tension with the West, Vladimir Putin granted Russian citizenship to Edward Snowden

The former US contractor, who revealed secret documents about espionage programs, has been living in Russia since 2013 after receiving political asylum.

Amid tension with the West over the invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin on Monday granted Russian citizenship to the former US security contractor, Edward Snowdenwho fled his country almost a decade ago after leaking secret documents about espionage programs of the United States Government.

The measure was formalized through a decree published on the information portal of the Russian public administration. Snowden, 39, received political asylum in that country in 2013 and this Monday he was among the 75 foreigners who received a Russian passport by decision of the head of the Kremlin.

The technology consultant is a former employee of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA). In 2013, through The Guardian and The Washington Post, he made public confidential documents about secret programs with which the United States espionage against its citizens and the rest of the world.




Russian President Vladimir Putin granted Russian citizenship to Edward Snowden and more than 70 foreigners. Photo: AP

Snowden received permanent residency in 2020 and said at the time he planned to apply for Russian citizenship, without giving up his US citizenship.

In 2019 he published the book “Permanent Surveillance”, in which he reflects beyond its history and talks about the system and its consequences. “My name is Edward Joseph Snowden. He used to work for the government, but now he works for the people”it says at the beginning of the 445-page text.

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