Snowden might leave Moscow airport on Wednesday - lawyer

Snowden might receive a certificate on Wednesday, which will allow him to leave the Sheremetyevo transit area, Izvestia newspaper reported citing lawyer Anatoly Kucherena.

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The Russian Federal Migration Service is not commenting on reports that former employee of U.S. special services Edward Snowden might leave the transit area of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on Wednesday.

"We have no comments about this," the Russian Federal Migration Service press office told Interfax on Wednesday.

The decision to begin the consideration of Snowden'sapplication for temporary asylum in Russia could be made soon, Russian Federal Migration Service Public Chamber Chairman Vladimir Volokh told Interfax on July 23.

Snowden fled to Hong Kong in May 2013 and then released information about secret operations of the U.S. special services on surveillance on the Internet. Snowden, a former CIA employee, is currently in the transit area of the Sheremetyevo.

The United States is pursuing extradition of Snowden to charge him with releasing secret information.

Snowden has filed an official request for temporary asylum in Russia.

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