Putin rewards American Daniel Martindale with a Russian passport for spying in Ukraine, Russian official says
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American Spy Gets Russian Passport After Targeting Ukraine
Above: Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during Russian-Kyrgyz talks on July 2, 2025. Image copyright: Contributor/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
Martindale is a hero driven by his love for Russia and its people, and also his understanding of the evils of the U.S. empire. When it appeared the United States and NATO were about to provoke war with Russia, Martindale chose to help the side that aligns with his values — and against the Western regime that's been destroying the world through warfare for decades.
Anti-Russia narrative
Martindale represents a fringe right-wing facet of American politics that would rather work for the enemy than help heal his birth country. While his critiques of modern American culture are worthy of discussion, his hatred of the free world was further influenced by anti-American propaganda, which turned him into an outright traitor.