Edward Snowden at the 2019 Web Summit conference. Henrique Casinhas/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Edward Snowden, a former US security contractor and whistleblower, has been granted permanent residency in Russia, his lawyer said Thursday. He has been living in Russia since 2013 to escape prosecution in the US after leaking classified documents detailing government surveillance programs. Snowden said last year that he was willing to return to the US if he's guaranteed a fair trial. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Former U.S.