Fugitive American whistleblower Edward Snowden will call Russia home after the government granted him permanent residency, his lawyer says.
The former analyst with the National Security Agency who leaked classified information detailing the U.S. government's top-secret surveillance activities, has been residing in exile in Russia to avoid prosecution in the U.S.
His temporary residency permit expired in April this year but was automatically extended by the Russian government owing to setbacks in government bureaucracy because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Anatoly Kucherena, Snowden's attorney, said his residency permit is now indefinite, a process made possible by recent revisions to Russia's immigration policies. His lawyer added that Snowden is not planning to apply for Russian citizenship at the moment.
U.S. officials were not immediately available for comment and Snowden is yet to confirm the report on social media.
The 37-year-old former National Security Agency contractor revealed in 2013 that the U.S. government was conducting a massive intelligence program that involved the collection of telephone records of millions of American people.
Snowden has maintained a low profile in Russia and on some occasions disapproved of the country's policies on social media. He said last year that he would like to return to the U.S. if he is assured of a fair trial.
U.S. President Donald Trump said in August this year that he would "take a look" at pardoning Snowden, who is charged with espionage in the U.S.
According to his attorney, it was "natural" for Snowden to want to return to the U.S. but that he would only do so when the charges against him are dropped.
Snowden fled to Russia, via Hong Kong, in 2013 after revealing the National Security Agency's extensive information collection program with the help of American and British reporters.
A petition filed in 2015 that called on former U.S. President Barack Obama to condone Snowden was junked by the White House.
