Washington’s allegations over US fugitive Edward Snowden are ‘unacceptable’ as he never crossed the Russian border, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. As a consequence, any attempt to accuse or threaten Moscow by the US is unfounded.
“Russia has nothing to do with Snowden’s movements, he chose his route himself and didn’t cross the Russian border,” said Lavrov,
Wiki Leaks, which is reportedly aiding Snowden in his asylum bid, confirmed on Monday that he waxen via Moscow. The Ecuadorian government said it has received the application for asylum and is currently processing it.
In order to get to Ecuador from Moscow, Snowden will have to transfer in Cuba, however, Sheremetyevo Airport officials have told Russian media that he was on neither Monday’s or Tuesday’s flights to Havana.
Former CIA contractor Edward Snowden fled the US for Hong Kong in May, where he handed over classified information regarding the US’ mass internet surveillance program, PRISM, to The Guardian newspaper. Since then, the US has been relentlessly pursuing him and has issued an extradition order against him under the espionage act.
The White House has branded Edward Snowden as a traitor and called on all countries in the northern hemisphere to aid in his extradition to the US.
During a visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry implored Russia to be “calm” and turn over Snowden, saying Washington was not seeking a “confrontation” with Moscow.
Responding to Russia’s staunch rejection of US criticism over the affair, Kerry continued that the transfer of the former NSA contractor was a matter of rule of law.
