Vladimir Putin reportedly grants Russian citizenship to American whistleblower Edward Snowden

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly granted Russian citizenship to American whistleblower Edward Snowden in a decree signed on Monday, according the country's state news agency.

Snowden’s attorney, Anatoly Kucherena, told Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti that Snowden and his wife, Lindsay Mills, intend to apply for Russian passports.

National Security Agency, Snowden has been living in Russia since 2013 to escape prosecution in the United States for leaking classified documents detailing government surveillance programs.