Former U.S. National Security Agency employee Edward Snowden has been granted Russian citizenship, according to a decree issued Monday by Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was reported by TASS.
"Snowden Edward Joseph, born on June 21, 1983 in the United States of America," the list of those granted Russian citizenship reads.
In 2013, Snowden disclosed the information about the methods of electronic surveillance by the U.S. and British intelligence agencies, as well as the fact that they passed personal data of their citizens to each other. Snowden also claimed that the intelligence services of these countries were illegally wiretapping the conversations of the leaders of foreign countries. Fleeing persecution by U.S. authorities, he submitted asylum requests to the authorities of several countries, including Russia. In 2014, he received his first residence permit in Russia and later received the right to stay on Russian territory indefinitely













