Russia extends Edward Snowden's asylum

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Russia has extended whistleblower Edward Snowden's asylum in the country for another couple of years.

Maria Zakharova, official spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, broke the news in a Facebook post. She also slammed Michael Morell, former deputy director of the CIA, who said that Snowden's extradition to the U.S. would be ‘the perfect inauguration gift' from Russia to Donald Trump.

It should be noted that Russia does not have an extradition agreement with the U.S. and it is not clear how Snowden can be extradited.

In 2013, Snowden, the former CIA employee leaked thousands of the NSA classified documents to journalists of The Guardian and The Washington Post. Stories based on the classified documents were also published in Der Spiegel and The New York Times.

Accused of theft of government property and espionage by the U.S. authorities, Snowden applied for asylum in Russia.

Called by many ‘a hero', Snowden still lives and works in Russia.