Former government intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, who fled prosecution in 2013 after revealing highly classified U.S. surveillance programs, reacted on Monday to his newly acquired Russian citizenship.
Charged with espionage in the U.S., Snowden has been living in exile in Moscow for almost 10 years with his wife, Lindsay Mills, and their two children.
"After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our sons," the ex-National Security Agency contractor tweeted. "After two years of waiting and nearly ten years of exile, a little stability will make a difference for my family. I pray for privacy for them — and for us all."
After the birth of his first child in 2020, Snowden posted a similar message, in which he announced that he and his wife were applying for dual citizenship.
According to The Hill, Snowden said in 2019 that he would return to the U.S. if he were guaranteed a fair trial, but then requested an extended residency permit in early 2020 and later applied for Russian citizenship.
In a new decree on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin granted Russian citizenship to 75 foreign nationals.
Snowden becomes a Russian citizen as Putin has ordered a partial mobilization of reservists that would call up thousands of Russians from military reserves to fight in the conflict with Ukraine.
The Associated Press reports that nearly every man is considered a reservist in Russia until age 65. Officials on Monday said men with dual citizenship are also eligible for the mobilization.
Snowden’s lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, told the Interfax news agency that Snowden is not eligible because he has never served in the Russian armed forces. Previous combat or military experience has been considered a key factor in the call-up.
According to The Guardian, well-heeled Russians are paying around $25,000 for a spot on a private plane, and up to $135,000 to charter an eight-seater jet, to escape to places such as Armenia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan.
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