Lindsay Mills, the wife of former US National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden, has officially applied for Russian citizenship, as confirmed by her lawyer Anatoly Kucherena. Mills, who has lived in Russia for over a decade, is now undergoing the standard process required by Russian law for citizenship, with Kucherena noting that she has been residing in the country for more than five years, qualifying her for the application.
Mills, a former acrobat and blogger, first gained widespread attention in 2013 as the partner of Edward Snowden, who leaked a significant cache of classified documents revealing the US and British governments’ extensive surveillance programs. These revelations, published by The Guardian and The Washington Post, forced Snowden to flee the US to avoid arrest. After facing refusals from multiple countries, Snowden sought refuge in Moscow, where he was granted asylum following a month-long stay at an airport terminal.
Mills joined Snowden in Moscow in October 2014, leaving the US to live in exile alongside him. The couple married in 2017 and now have two children, both of whom were born in Russia and automatically received Russian citizenship. Snowden himself was granted Russian citizenship by presidential decree in September 2022.
Snowden’s decision to seek Russian citizenship came after his US passport was revoked due to the charges against him for leaking classified information. While still a US citizen, Snowden found himself in legal limbo, unable to travel abroad. The acquisition of Russian citizenship granted him immunity from deportation, as Russian law prohibits the extradition of its citizens.
Despite his long exile, Snowden has frequently expressed his desire to return to the United States, provided he is assured a fair trial. His case has garnered some support from US political figures, with former President Donald Trump publicly stating in 2020 that he would consider pardoning Snowden. While this clemency did not materialize before Trump left office, others, such as Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have continued to advocate for the whistleblower’s pardon.
