Snowden's appearance gave Putin the opportunity to defend Russian surveillance, implicitly gaining Snowden's approval. Considering the tightly controlled circumstances of the rogue agent's asylum in Russia, the appearance has been widely seen as a PR stunt.
Business Insider: Snowden makes stunning appearance on Putin TV interview in apparent PR Stunt
Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden made a surprise appearance on April 17 at Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual televised call-in with the nation.
