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Snowden expectant father, baby to get Russian citizenship, says lawyer

The fugitive whistleblower has not expressed a wish to obtain Russian citizenship for now, his attorney said

Edward Snowden EPA/SVEIN OVE EKORNESVAAG

Edward Snowden

© EPA/SVEIN OVE EKORNESVAAG

MOSCOW, October 29./TASS/. Former National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden, who has obtained an open-ended Russian residency permit, is going to be a father soon, his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told TASS on Thursday.

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NSA whistleblower Snowden applies for extending Russian residence permit

The baby will have citizenship of the Russian Federation, Kucherena affirmed. "They [Snowden and his wife Lindsay Mills - TASS] are expecting their child soon. The citizenship will be that of the place of birth," he added, saying that the child is due at the end of the year.

Snowden has not expressed a wish to obtain Russian citizenship for now, his attorney said. "We have not discussed this issue so far. As soon as he makes the decision, he will divulge this on his own," the lawyer noted.

In October 2014, American acrobat and blogger Lindsay Mills left the US for Moscow to join fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden. They got married in 2017.

In 2013, Snowden leaked information about electronic surveillance methods being used by US intelligence services, including illegally eavesdropping on foreign leaders’ conversations. Fleeing punitive consequences from US federal authorities, Snowden sent requests for asylum to some countries, including Russia. On August 1, 2014, he obtained a temporary Russian residence permit. Back in the United States, Snowden is facing two counts of violating the Espionage Act, and he risks up to ten years in prison on each count. American officials have repeatedly said that they regard Snowden as a traitor and have no intention of absolving him, because he caused serious harm to the US national security.

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