MOSCOW (Sputnik) – In 2013, Snowden leaked information about illegal mass electronic surveillance programs conducted by the NSA. In the United States, Snowden faces up to 30 years in prison on charges of espionage and theft of government property.
On August 1, 2013, Russia granted the whistleblower temporary asylum for one year. In August 2014, Snowden received a three-year residence permit to live in Russia
“We haven’t discussed the issue [of applying for Russian citizenship] with him yet,” Kucherena told RIA Novosti in an interview.
The procedure for receiving Russian citizenship requires that a person to reside in the country for at least five years, the lawyer added. Once Snowden's residence permit expires, the question of Russian citizenship might be broached.
