NSA LEAKER, SNOWDEN GETS ASSYLUM IN RUSSIA

MOSCOW — Edward Snowden, the fugitive former U.S. security contractor, left the transit zone at Moscow's international airport Thursday after receiving permission
from the Kremlin to enter Russian territory. Anatoly Kucherena, an attorney for Snowden, said documents allowing Snowden to live in Russia while his application for permanent political asylum is pending were issued Thursday. Snowden, 30, had been stranded in Russia's Sheremetyevo Airport for more than five weeks. "I have just seen him off. He has left for a secure location," Kucherena told the state broadcaster Russia 24. Nicaragua, Bolivia and Venezuela have offered Snowden refuge, but pressure from Washington and concerns that the United States or Europe might block him from
traveling through their airspace — his U.S. passport has been revoked — have prevented him from leaving Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, said he saw no reason for Russian to extradite Snowden to the United States. He said that for Snowden to remain in Russia, he would have to refrain from releasing information that is damaging to the United States. Putin added that the case should not be allowed to damage Russian-U.S. ties.