Edward Snowden, seen here in Hong Kong in 2013, is seeking dual Russian-U.S. citizenship. The former contractor for the U.S. National Security Agency revealed details of top-secret surveillance conducted by the NSA. The Guardian via Getty Images hide caption <\/p>\n
Former National Security Agency contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden announced Monday he plans to seek Russian citizenship, while also maintaining his U.S. nationality.<\/p>\n
Snowden made the announcement on Twitter as he retweeted his wife, Lindsay's, message from Oct. 28 announcing the couple are expecting a baby. Snowden said they are seeking Russian citizenship to ensure they will be able to live with their future son.<\/p>\n
\"After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our son. That's why, in this era of pandemics and closed borders, we're applying for dual US-Russian citizenship,\" Snowden said in his tweet.<\/p>\n
Snowden fled the U.S. in 2013 after leaking classified information on domestic and international surveillance programs carried out by the NSA where he worked as a contractor. He previously worked for the CIA from 2006 to 2009.<\/p>\n
Snowden has lived in Russia since 2013, having initially been granted asylum. Last month, Russia approved an open-ended residency permit for him, according to Tass, a state-run Russian news agency that spoke with Snowden's attorney, Anatoly Kucherena.<\/p>\n
He faces criminal charges in the U.S. including espionage and theft of government property related to the leak. The U.S. has long sought Snowden's extradition to prosecute him on those charges.<\/p>\n
Snowden also faces other legal repercussions. Just last month, a federal court in Virginia said he must pay the U.S. government $5 million from book royalties and speaking fees stemming from his 2019 memoir, Permanent Record. <\/p>\n
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia sided with U.S. officials who said that by not submitting the book for a pre-publication review, Snowden violated nondisclosure agreements he signed while working for the NSA and CIA. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n