Russia grants citizenship to American who spied on Ukraine

Russia has granted citizenship to an American man, Daniel Martindale, who allegedly spied on Ukrainian forces for Moscow during the ongoing conflict, authorities in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine announced on Tuesday.

Martindale, who reportedly spent more than two years living in Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, provided Russian intelligence services with coordinates of Ukrainian military positions, according to Russian state media.

“By decree of our President Vladimir Putin, a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation was awarded to Daniel Martindale,” said Denis Pushilin, head of the Moscow-installed administration in the occupied Donetsk region, in a Telegram post.

Pushilin praised Martindale’s actions, calling him “one of us” and noting his willingness to risk his life in territory under Ukrainian control.

“Not only did he survive — he helped. He supported our guys, passed on important information to our special services,” Pushilin wrote.

According to Russian state media, Martindale was formally presented with his Russian passport during a ceremony in Moscow conducted by the interior ministry.

In a video shared by Pushilin, Martindale spoke in Russian, calling the naturalisation a “dream” and thanking Russia for “accepting me.”

“Russia is not only my home, but my family,” he said in the footage.

Pushilin said Martindale was recently evacuated from Ukraine in what he described as a “complex operation,” citing concerns for the American’s safety as his identity risked exposure.

Russian media reported in November 2024 that Martindale had entered Russian territory under the protection of security forces and had immediately applied for citizenship.

A Telegram account bearing his name posted at the time: “Hello, I’m Daniel Martindale, the guy that Russian soldiers risked their lives to evacuate from the village where I had lived for two years.”

AFP

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