Russia’s migration service sees nothing extraordinary in situation with Snowden

Head of Federal Migration Service /FMS/ Konstantin Romodanovsky refused to comment on the situation with former CIA employee Edward Snowden, who filed a request for temporary asylum in Russia. “I do not comment on anything. There is no exclusive case for us in this issue. The exclusiveness is only in questions of journalists,” Romodanovsky underlined. He noted that a territorial branch of the Federal Migration Service is considering a request for temporary asylum to Snowden. “A usual procedure envisaged in the law is going on,” he said in conclusion. Snowden has been staying in the transit zone of Sheremetyevo airport since June 23, arriving from Hong Kong. On July 16, he filed a request for temporary asylum in Russia. According to the law, the FMS regional office should take a decision on the issue within three months since the day the request was filed. Human rights advocate Anatoly Kucherena, who is consulting Snowden, said that the former CIA employee wants to stay in Russia.