NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden granted Russian citizenship

Edward Snowden
(Image credit: Barton Gellman/Getty Images)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday granted Russian citizenship to former National Security Agency contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden, CNN reports.

Snowden, 39, faces espionage charges in the U.S. after leaking NSA surveillance operations back in 2013. The charges are punishable by up to 30 years in prison, per CNN.

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Devika Rao, The Week US

 Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.