China News Service, September 27 (Xinhua) According to a comprehensive report, on September 26, local time, after Edward Snowden, a former US defense contractor employee, was granted citizenship by the Russian president, US State Department spokesman Price said that he may "be Called to the battlefield".
Snowden himself posted on social media that he hoped the outside world would respect the privacy of himself and his family.
Data map: Snowden delivered a video speech.
On September 26, the Russian Legal Information Network published a presidential decree, signed by President Vladimir Putin, granting Russian citizenship to a number of individuals, including "Edward Joseph Snowden, born June 21, 1983, ( Birthplace) United States."
As soon as the news came out, it immediately attracted a lot of attention.
A reporter asked US State Department spokesman Price whether Snowden "is still a US citizen with dual US-Russian citizenship" after obtaining Russian citizenship.
In this regard, Price said, "I am not aware of any changes in his citizenship."
Price also said there had been no change in the U.S. position and insisted that Snowden should return to the U.S. "and he should face trial like any other American citizen."
The State Department spokeswoman further said that the only difference is that Snowden "may be drafted into the field" given his Russian citizenship.
However, according to a report by RIA Novosti on the 26th, Snowden's lawyer Kucherena said that Snowden has not served in the Russian army. According to current Russian law, he does not belong to the personnel who were recruited during the partial mobilization. "Now recruits are reservists who have served in the military, as well as personnel with relevant professional backgrounds."
Image source: Screenshot of Snowden's social media
After being granted Russian citizenship, Snowden wrote on social media on the 26th, "After being separated from our parents for many years, my wife and I do not want to be separated from our children. After two years of waiting and nearly a decade of exile, A little bit of stability will make a difference in my family," he also said, hoping that the outside world will respect the privacy of himself and his family.
In June 2013, Snowden exposed the US National Security Agency's secret intelligence surveillance program through the media, including a surveillance program code-named "Project Prism" that mainly targets overseas targets.
The U.S. government has since issued a warrant for Snowden on charges of espionage, theft and unauthorized disclosure of defense and intelligence information.
In 2016, Snowden arrived in Russia for political asylum. Since then, he has successively obtained temporary and permanent residency in Russia. On September 26 this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order to grant Snowden Russian citizenship.
Russian Presidential Press Secretary Peskov told RIA Novosti that Russia granted Snowden Russian citizenship at his request.