Edward Snowden, the whistleblower wanted by U.S. authorities for leaking highly classified National Security Agency (NSA) secrets in 2013, has expressed relief after being granted Russian citizenship by Vladimir Putin.
Snowden has been living in Moscow since 2013, when he fled to the Russian capital to avoid espionage charges in his home country.
The former intelligence contractor was granted temporary asylum, which was repeatedly extended until he was given permanent residency in 2020.