President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday granting Russian citizenship to former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.
Snowden, 39, fled the US and used to be given asylum in Russia after leaking secret information in 2013 that exposed huge home and world surveillance operations performed via the U.S. Nationwide Safety Company the place he used to be a contractor.
US government have for years sought after Snowden returned to the US to stand a felony trial on espionage fees.