Speculative claim that Putin’s intelligence service deliberately facilitated Snowden’s travel to Russia for strategic gain

Speculative claim that Putin’s intelligence service deliberately facilitated Snowden’s travel to Russia for strategic gain The passage suggests a possible covert motive by the Russian intelligence services to exploit Snowden, linking a high‑profile foreign leader (Putin) to the handling of a major U.S. whistleblower. However, the text offers no concrete evidence, dates, or documented transactions, and the idea has been widely discussed in public commentary, limiting its novelty. It still provides a lead for investigating intelligence‑level decision‑making and possible coordination between Russian services and the Snowden case. Key insights: Alleged decision by Russian intelligence to allow Snowden entry after learning of his presence in Hong Kong; Suggestion that Putin saw strategic advantage in using Snowden to damage U.S. interests; Comparison to historic CIA exploitation of Khrushchev’s secret speech