Snowden’s Great Escape: How One Flight Changed Everything

In 2013, Edward Snowden fled to Hong Kong to avoid arrest after leaking classified documents revealing massive U.S. surveillance programs. As the U.S. government filed charges and revoked his passport, he tried to reach a country that would grant him asylum. With help from WikiLeaks, he boarded a flight to Moscow, planning to continue to Latin America—but got stranded in the Moscow airport when his passport was canceled mid-flight. Stuck in legal limbo for over a month, Russia eventually granted him asylum, and he has lived there ever since, later receiving permanent residency and citizenship. If the U.S. ever captures him, he’ll likely spend decades in jail under the Espionage Act, which doesn’t protect whistleblowers.

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