Russia gives citizenship to ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden

Now he's a citizen he can be conscripted and sent to Ukraine.

If Snowden is drafted he won't be sent to the front but could be a top-flight info warrior.

Snowden was given citizenship, a uniform and a rifle.

Perhaps he will go to the front to defend the motherland.

I suspect this is Putin's way to be able to draft Snowden, if he agrees to accept Russian citizenship. It isn't like Snowden can return to the US, or allies of the US, until a Presidential pardon happens.

I think he was a huge patriot providing a necessary check on the secret govt agencies run afoul of the rights of people all around the world, including US citizens. I can think of no other method attempted has worked better and even his steps failed to clean up the international govt illegal spying that is still happening. Nobody in charge of the illegal spying programs went to jail, lost their jobs, or was punish in any significant manner. That's too bad that Snowden has to give up his freedom for the rest of us to become aware of how far over many lines these govt agencies stepped and are still stepping today.

Considering Snowden's sacrifice of his freedom in service of the truth and the cause of democracy by exposing the war crimes of the US military covered up by government officials and the serial brazen lawlessness of many other US government officials who escaped all accountability for their skullduggery in subverting the democratic rights of the American people, it's a disgrace that the unremorseful and vindictive US government has kept Snowden in forced exile and been unwilling to protect him from having to apply for Russian citizenship. That, in contrast, the traitorous wretch Trump, as ex-Potus, is honored and feted by Republicans and allowed to move freely about the country causing havoc and mayhem in society sullying America's reputation in the world and threatening to damage the fragile fabric of democracy, just exposes the rancid hypocrisy of millions of Americans who worship power on bended knee while reviling and abandoning a true American patriot to the slimy clutches of Putin. Americans of that ilk should be ashamed of their cowardice and disloyalty to a fellow countryman.

Snowden didn't betray his country. His government betrayed him.

If Snowden is drafted he won't be sent to the front but could be a top-flight info warrior.

Snowden does know much about infoSEC, but I don't think he created the tools he used, so without those, he's just a user.

All govts are aware of the cracking tools commonly used and available for $0-$2M on the open market. Certainly Snowden knows the $0-$2K tools, as any competent infoSEC professional would. He would be able to pick up the tools used by Russian cyber teams quickly, but I seriously doubt he would help against NATO or Ukrainians or any other friendly-to-US country. From my reading, that isn't his nature. I doubt he provided Russia with any sensitive information beyond what he turned over to the newspapers in 2013 either.

Mr. Snowden should return to the U.S and face the music, there are laws and rules to protect all whistleblowers and I believe that he will have a fare trial considering the publicity of his case.

No way would he get a fair trial. It would all happen behind closed doors, in secret, with gag orders on everyone involved. The USGovt would come after him with 200 different charges and 20 lifetimes of sentencing on the table. He wouldn't be allowed to face the people who setup the illegal programs which are still running today, just under different names - heck, the new program names have probably been changed twice since 2014 already. The US representatives have been stonewalled and lied to by the spy agencies for decades ... for our own good. That's their honest belief. They think preventing any terrorist action of any level is more important than following US laws on privacy and these spy agencies work tirelessly to weaken any proposed privacy legislation that would hold any level of US govt accountable. There is little-to-zero risk of a govt manager ever going to jail for violating the rights of millions of people in and outside the USA. Further, if they tell anyone about these programs and the violations of constitutional law, they are charged with treason.

There would never be any fair trial for Snowden in the US and all the claimed charges will be sealed for at least 50 yrs, to prevent embarrassment.

He probably went skirt chasing in Russia,a Russian honeypot,put her hook in him,it do notbmean anything vulgar,it means how a woman trap a man

His American GF also defected to Russia a few months after Snowden. They live together and I think are married now.

Excellent news !!.. Good for you Snowden, thanks Russia !!..

The world needs more heroes like him. Not Marvel comic superheroes.

More Snowdens and less fake "patriots"..

The way Snowden and Assange went from popular heroes in America to political refugees looking for sanctuary abroad and public enemies in America without changing what they represented and stood for says something about the American population (and it's not at all flattering).

Something that the heads of certain states who are reliant on the US for UNSC vetoes, or reliant on a massive infusion of cash and weapons from the US to keep bombing and terrorizing their own people to stay in power should be wary of.

If the American public can so easily turn on actual heroes when they've be artificially turned into villains, imagine how easily they will turn on villains who've been artificially turned into heroes.

A pathetic attempt to swat back at the West.

A Russian passport will allow Snowden to travel internationally again, albeit very carefully. If he ever decides to leave Russia for whatever reason, becoming a citizen is the obvious first step.

Ed is real hero and with heart at right place.

Julian must be envy now as his position is so very different now.

He deserves Gitmo for what he did, "

Yep- for exposing the truth of what was happening -to the gallows with him ey?

well said!

Gintonic, nobody deserves Gitmo , not even an animal,in America,we have a sense of fairness in our justice,if we cannot trust our justice ,their is nothing stand between us , but lawlessness, chaos and distrust

The world needs more heroes like him. Not Marvel comic superheroes.

French actor in Russia, Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu also took citizenship from Putin to escape French taxes.

Now, his taxes will now help to destroy another independent democracy in Ukraine, while some will also pay to smash in the heads of anyone who voices the slightest hint of dissent. 

Many of us woke folk have always regretted that our taxes have been misappropriated and misused to destroy millions of human lives around the world in the name of "freedom". Why single out Snowden?

only 37 countries support USA proxy war on Russia. Google how many countries there are in the world.

Is there a vote on proxy wars on google?

If you knew how many countries oppose the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, it would open your eyes!!!

He will likely be conscripted and entered into the FSB or similar military like department.

Never. He potentially isn’t loyal to an employer and very quickly collects secrets for publishing. That’s the very last thing the FSB or GRU could need.

Looks like that's a putin signal for donald, turn over the missing documents to putin and get dacha near Muskova

Total nonsense, what it does show with this move now Snowden is pretty much untouchable, meaning, that if the CIA were to try and snag him, they would essentially be kidnapping a Russian citizen, and things can go very dicey diplomatically from that point on now would I think that the CIA would do such a thing? Yeah, I would.

Total nonsense, what it does show with this move now Snowden is pretty much untouchable, 

Sir, I implore you to be civil, your remarks really hurt me.

and things can go very dicey diplomatically from that point on now would I think that the CIA would do such a thing? Yeah, I would.

Are you now claiming to have worked for the CIA? It would make a lot of sense though secret service agents create multiple profiles of themselves and are pretty liberal with truth.

Snowden is safe for now but what happens when putin gets overthrown??}

They did the same to Steven Seagal so he's in elite company.

/s

The Fu, he would of gotten a fair trial,the US government is not allowed to have secret proceeding,out side the judicial norms

He would have a right to a trial by jury and it only takes one juror to vote Not Guilty.

Russia gives citizenship to ex-NSA contractor Snowden:

Does that matter?

Putin is having difficulties in his mobilization policy..

What best could he do..?

Snowden . . . Shoot him or salute him?

Oooooh, awkward.

Guy who took a stand in defence of civil liberties against the surveillance state (good) now seems to be taking sides with one of the worst surveillance states that completely ignores civil liberties in the world (bad).

Russia on Monday granted citizenship to former American intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, who fled prosecution after he revealed highly classified U.S. surveillance programs to capture communications and data from around the world.

Looks like that's a putin signal for donald, turn over the missing documents to putin and get dacha near Muskova.

A Russian passport will allow Snowden to travel internationally again,

China, N.Korea and Belarus for sure, everyone else is starting to turn their back on Russia and ban their tourists!

everyone else is starting to turn their back on Russia and ban their tourists!

only 37 countries support USA proxy war on Russia. Google how many countries there are in the world.

The Fu Snowden running to Russia,do not look like a person, interested in civil liberties,where their is no existence of these liberties

U,the jury not suppose be a representative of the government,they are independent entities, Verdicto is Latin for seekers of the truth

He will likely be conscripted and entered into the FSB or similar military like department.

What he did endangered the lives of others, that is not the actions of a hero regardless of the legality or otherwise of anything he revealed.

If he cares so much about truth, surveillance, civil liberties and justice, I look forward to seeing his principled stand against all these activities in russia and the murderous and illegal invasion of a peaceful neighbour. But I won’t be holding my breath, the man is a hypocrite.

If Snowdon is ever stupid enough to leave Russia, his newly-found citizenship won't save him.

He is a fugitive from US justice with a Red notice around his neck.

One step out of the borders of Russia, and he goes to Leavenworth.

He deserves Gitmo for what he did, but as a US citizen, he is not totally bereft of rights.

Ironically, if he renounced his citizenship, gitmo awaits.

This "hero" is so worried about democracy that he first ran to...China, then when life didn't come up roses in that dictatorship, ended up sucking up to...Putin in Russia? lol. Whatever you say...

Now, his taxes will now help to destroy another independent democracy in Ukraine, while some will also pay to smash in the heads of anyone who voices the slightest hint of dissent. But will this coward actually fight for his new country in their failing, flailing "special operations"? Are you kidding?? Smh~ "hero"...

Considering Snowden's sacrifice of his freedom in service of the truth and the cause of democracy by exposing the war crimes of the US military covered up by government officials and the serial brazen lawlessness of many other US government officials who escaped all accountability for their skullduggery in subverting the democratic rights of the American people, it's a disgrace that the unremorseful and vindictive US government has kept Snowden in forced exile and been unwilling to protect him from having to apply for Russian citizenship.

I totally agree and cat argue that important fact.

That, in contrast, the traitorous wretch Trump, as ex-Potus, is honored and feted by Republicans

Traitorous? Hardly, but his supporters to their credit understand fully to what you just eluded to and decided to forgo the traditional Washington status quo and go with a non-establishment, and most conservatives will not go back into the arms of the wretched Washington establishment elite. Those days are over.

and allowed to move freely about the country causing havoc and mayhem in society sullying America's reputation in the world and threatening to damage the fragile fabric of democracy,

Thanks to Snowden there is so much we found out from him, not a fan of the guy, but him opening our eyes to how corrupt the establishment is, and all of the illegal acts of crime and atrocities the US government has done was a huge eye opener, and I’m grateful in that sense for what he’s done. So I don’t know if I will call Snowden and out right trader, he did expose a lot, now as far as this administration is concerned, I definitely think their policies are traitorous to put it mildly, if you think the reputation of the US was bad, it’s nothing to what it is now and worsening and our adversaries including Russia will not pass up this great opportunity of a lifetime. This administration without a doubt gave Putin the fortitude and desire to push his way into Ukraine.

Americans of that ilk should be ashamed of their cowardice and disloyalty to a fellow countryman.

That will change in a few more weeks.

Mr. Snowden should return to the U.S and face the music, there are laws and rules to protect all whistleblowers and I believe that he will have a fare trial considering the publicity of his case.

Having previous combat or military service experience has been considered the main criterion in the call-up.

He can still join the Wagner group. They will take anyone!

Consorting with Russian honeypots,do not help his image

The Fu, he would of gotten a fair trial,the US government is not allowed to have secret proceeding,out side the judicial norms

How is he a hero? He did the right thing in the wrong way and fled to Russia like a coward. Russian citizenship is more useless than Chinese citizenship anyway. They need a visa to travel almost anywhere and no country will ever grant him a visa.

Any American can report abuse without of fear of persecution,he could of reported it too his Senator or Congress person

Only way an American can renounce his citizenship is go into a US Embassy abroad,an ask for papers to do it, legally,if Snowden walk in a US Embassy,he would be arrested

He probably went skirt chasing in Russia,a Russian honeypot,put her hook in him,it do notbmean anything vulgar,it means how a woman trap a man