JUST IN: Putin Grants Russian Citizenship to NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden

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Vladimir Putin signed a decree granting Russian citizenship to former National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Snowden has been living in Russia since 2013 when he fled the United States after leaking classified documents that exposed the size and scale of the NSA’s mass surveillance operations. He was living in Russia under political asylum while the U.S. authorities sought to prosecute him on charges of espionage and theft of government property.

The Associated Press reported that on Monday, Snowden was among the 75 foreign nationals granted citizenship in the decree signed by the Russian leader. The news comes after Snowden was granted permanent residency in Russia back in 2020, when he said his plan was to apply for Russian citizenship without renouncing his U.S. citizenship.

In the past, Snowden has expressed that he is willing to return to America, but only on the condition that he receives a fair trial.