Former US intelligence officer Edward Snowden, in an interview with independent journalist Glenn Greenwald, conceded that he did not initially plan to stay in Russia, but other countries threatened by US sanctions were unable to guarantee his safety.

‘In general, I did not intend to stay in Russia, it was a transit stop on the way to Latin America, since South America has shown openness towards whistle-blowers in the past.’

According to Snowden, he initially wanted to move to Europe, but many diplomats discouraged him and could not give any guarantees. He added that the leak happened after he left China.

‘The US regime found out that I was heading to Russia without means of communication … I landed in Russia, and the border guard said that my passport ‘does not work,’ Snowden said.

He added that he spent about 40 days in the Sheremetyevo transit zone and during this time he applied for asylum in 21 countries of the world. At the same time, some countries openly stated that they were afraid of the US reaction and did not want to get involved in this story. In others, according to a former US intelligence officer, they warned that I would not be able to provide the proper level of security.

‘So, when there were no options left, I applied for asylum in Russia, and I got it. And I have since been left alone, which is all I could ask for under the circumstances,’ he said.

In 2013, former CIA and NSA officer Edward Snowden handed over materials to the media that shed light on the extent of illegal surveillance organized by US intelligence agencies on their own citizens and foreign politicians. As it turned out, the activity of the CIA and the NSA was by no means limited to the search for terrorists: surveillance had long been not targeted, but total. 

American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh expressed the opinion that former US intelligence officer Edward Snowden was the only person who spoke openly about the NSA violating the right to freedom of speech.

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