He didn’t run to Russia.
He had a layover in Russia to Latin America, and then the US canceled his passport.
The US trapped him in Russia.
Comment on Do you think that Edward Snowden is a hero?
crossdl@leminal.space 15 hours ago
I struggle with it. I know he needs an international ally to protect him, but running to Russia and having nothing to say about their bullshit comes across sour to me. I’m thankful, at least, for the information he provided.
quick_snail@feddit.nl 13 hours ago
Jax@sh.itjust.works 10 hours ago
That seems odd to me.
He was working in Hawaii so he takes a layover in Russia??
Something doesn’t smell right, even with how weird layovers can be.
quick_snail@feddit.nl 9 minutes ago
He was in Hong Kong, selected because it wouldn’t raise any flags and he could hide.
Then he got help from some lawyers in WikiLeaks that tried to get him asylum in Latin America, so he had to get a layover in a country without an extradition treaty. That flight took him to Russia, but the US prevented him from catching the next plane because they canceled his passport and trapped him there.
HubertManne@piefed.social 9 hours ago
do you know nothing of the incident. He was in asia for awhile and was trapped in russia because orgininally he did have a european destination but it became clear that was likely to get him extridated so it changed to south america. Granted the person you replying to calling it a layover to latin america was representing it kinda wierd so im thinking he may have limited recall on it. He was in hon kong for awhile.
Jax@sh.itjust.works 5 hours ago
Ah, I didn’t realize those were the circumstances — I assumed it was from wherever he was working at the time (I thought it was Hawaii but I could be wrong).
Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world 14 hours ago
Snowden had applied for asylum in Ecuador, he went to Russia for connecting flights to Latin America.
He couldn’t leave. Even the Bolivian presidential plane had to land in Austria after false rumors circulated that Snowden was aboard the aircraft.
zergtoshi@lemmy.world 14 hours ago
Where do you propose he should’ve gone instead?
Some protection from CIA/NSA should be available at that place.prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 12 hours ago
He was on his way to Ecuador
uberdroog@lemmy.world 15 hours ago
I echo this. Russia is using him at the least…the most its been their game the whole time
PerfectDark@lemmy.world 3 hours ago
…its been their game the whole time
The U.S. took his passport away as he was in transit, right when that happened (literally blame your own gov’t for this, it wasn’t his decision) he was getting a connecting flight in Russia. He’s since stayed there.
Crazy that you…think that Russia, what, had control of the American gov’t and got them to revoke his passport mid-flight? Is that what you’re getting at?
Ethalis@jlai.lu 14 hours ago
He applied for asylum in dozens of other countries, but all of their leaders received threatening direct phonecalls from then vice president Biden. Putin was the only one who didn’t cave to American pressure, so Snowden had no choice but to stay in Russia