Who Is Edward Snowden’s Girlfriend, Lindsay Mills?

Edward Snowden and his girlfriend of over five years, Lindsay Mills, were spotted enjoying theatre in Moscow in October, and rumors have emerged suggesting the two could get married in Russia.

When Snowden fled to Russia after leaking classified NSA documents in June of 2013, little thought was given to the girlfriend he left behind. New reports suggest that Mills has officially moved to Russia to be with Snowden, and the two have been spotted out and about in Moscow. Furthermore, Mills appears briefly in the new documentary on Snowden, Citizenfour, though she only appears in the background, washing dishes with Snowden in his Moscow apartment.

Who Is Lindsay Mills?

Snowden and Mills had been dating for at least four years before he became a fugitive of the United States government. The two moved to Japan together in 2009 and then moved again to Hawaii in 2012. There, they shared a home until Snowden left for Hong Kong and released the classified documents. According to reports, Snowden did not give any indication of his plans, telling Mills he had to go on a business trip.

“He said I’m just going on a trip for business for a couple of weeks and I’ll be coming back. She heard what had happened on the news,” Mills’ father, Jonathan Mills, told reporters at the time.

According to her father, Mills had every intention of marrying Snowden before he fled the country and became a whistleblower. “Up until she heard that he was in Hong Kong she was in the back of her mind planning marriage and a life together,” he said.

When Snowden left, Mills was working as a dancer and budding acrobat studying with the Waikiki Acrobatic Troupe. At the time, Mills had a blog, lsjourney.com, where she shared photos of herself dancing – she studied ballet and was a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art – and posing in various states of undress. The site was quickly taken down, but not before Mills wrote one last entry in which she described her agony in the aftermath of Snowden’s departure.

“My world has opened and closed all at once. Leaving me lost at sea without a compass. Surely there will be villainous pirates, distracting mermaids, and tides of change in this new open-water chapter of my journey. But at the moment all I can feel is alone. And for the first time in my life, I feel strong enough to be on my own. Though I never imagined my hand would be so forced,” Mills wrote.

Based on her blog entry, it seems Mills and Snowden had every intention of ending their relationship: “But sometimes life doesn’t afford proper goodbyes. In those unsure endings, I find my strength, my true friends, and my heart’s song.”

Most of Mills’ social media presence has been removed from the web – her blog and her Instagram account are inactive. Mills’ Twitter page is still active, though she has not posted since June 10, 2013.

Edward Snowden’s Girlfriend Living In Moscow

It’s unclear what Mills was doing while Snowden settled himself in Russia, but it seems she has moved in with Snowden in Moscow and that the two are carrying on their romantic relationship abroad.

“Edward Snowden is happy that his girlfriend Lindsay Mills came to Russia and that she is supporting him,” said Anatoly Kucherena, a lawyer whose connection to Snowden is unclear.