[MeganC]

I think Russia took in Snowden more as payback to the US for taking in all sorts of traitors that the Soviets wanted back during the cold war.

Keeping in mind that Putin is ex-KGB this makes a lot of sense.

[Lower Deck]

I think Russia took in Snowden more as payback to the US for taking in all sorts of traitors that the Soviets wanted back during the cold war.

Russia and China don't do anything out of altruism. If they helped Snowden then it's because he had something valuable to them to offer as payment. You may never know exactly what that was.