Snowden takes oath in Russia, collects passport, lawyer says

Snowden, 39, is wanted by Washington on espionage expenses. He argues that his steps have been in the passions of the United States. In any situation, his revelations exposed the breadth of U.S. electronic spying courses and altered the public’s knowing of technologies, privateness and digital protection.

It is unclear no matter if Snowden swore the oath of allegiance at the identical time as he was granted a passport, but the two are common strategies when foreigners become Russian citizens. The textual content involves swearing “to shield the freedom and independence of the Russian Federation, to be loyal to Russia, to respect its culture, history and traditions,” and to assure to “perform the obligations of a citizen of the Russian Federation for the good of the condition and culture.”

Kucherena included that Snowden’s wife, Lindsay Mills, was also undergoing the Russian citizenship application approach and that the couple’s youngsters would likely show up at Russian educational institutions, when completely ready. He claimed he communicated mainly in English with his consumer but that Snowden also speaks Russian, albeit “not flawlessly.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin granted Snowden citizenship in September, in a decree that protected 72 foreigners. Putin has formerly called Snowden’s actions incorrect but said he “is not a traitor,” considering that “he did not betray the interests of his place.”

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Soon after currently being granted citizenship, Snowden tweeted: “After a long time of separation from our mom and dad, my spouse and I have no want to be separated from our SONS. Soon after two decades of waiting and just about ten a long time of exile, a very little steadiness will make a difference for my spouse and children. I pray for privacy for them — and for us all.”

Snowden was provided asylum in Russia in 2013 after he fled the United States to keep away from prosecution. He was granted lasting residency in 2020, and his lawyers said at the time that he was making use of to acquire a Russian passport without the need of renouncing his U.S. citizenship.

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He spelled out his selection to seek dual citizenship on Twitter in 2020 as getting vital to avert being separated from his son. In an “era of pandemics and shut borders, we’re applying for dual US-Russian citizenship,” he wrote.

“Lindsay and I will stay People in america, raising our son with all the values of the America we enjoy — which includes the flexibility to speak his head. And I search ahead to the working day I can return to the States, so the entire family can be reunited,” he additional.

Snowden’s revelations, released initial in The Washington Submit and the Guardian newspaper in 2013, induced international shock waves and had been amongst the most consequential intelligence breaches in U.S. record.

He disclosed the existence of the NSA’s assortment of tens of millions of Americans’ cell phone records, a software later identified by a federal appeals court to be illegal and subsequently shuttered. The disclosures also harmed the intelligence community’s romantic relationship with the American tech business.

Snowden swore his oath and acquired his passport as Moscow continued its war on Ukraine, now in its 10th month. His attorney, Kucherena, claimed when Snowden was granted citizenship that he would not be subject matter to the partial military services mobilization that Putin had decreed days just before, because only adult males with prior army experience were being getting termed up. Nonetheless, it has been greatly reported that lots of Russians devoid of these kinds of expertise have been summoned for duty in the latest months.

A Point out Department spokesman reported Friday the United States is “aware of the reports” about Snowden but is “not in a placement to verify or deny regardless of whether Mr. Snowden has obtained Russian Federation citizenship.”