The Russian president Vladimir Putin considers NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden a ‘strange guy’ for having deliberately chosen a difficult life.
Putin wondered how Snowden is going to build his life and take further actions as he is currently been granted a temporary asylum in Russia even as the friction between the US and Putin’s administration continues.
The president reiterated that Russia will not extradite Snowden to the US as he can feel safe here and suggested that Obama administration should reconsider their stance of putting him on trial, news.com.au reports.
He further said that while US considers Snowden a traitor he is instead someone with a completely different frame of mind and considers himself to be a fighter for human rights.
Putin also revealed that he had known about Snowden’s asylum request while he was still holed up in Hong Kong and told him via his aides that he was welcome to arrive in Russia as long as he stopped his leaks.
He reiterated that Washington should not insist Russia to extradite Snowden when the US refuses to expel Russian ‘bandits’, the report added. (ANI)