Putin’s spokesman says no change: Russia won’t extradite Snowden to US

MOSCOW – A spokesman for President Vladimir Putin says Russia has not budged from its refusal to extradite U.S. leaker Edward Snowden, who has applied for asylum.

Snowden, who is believed to have been staying at the Moscow airport transit zone since June 23, applied for temporary asylum in Russia last week. The United States wants him sent home to face prosecution for espionage.

Asked by a reporter whether the government’s position had changed, Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies that “Russia has never extradited anyone and never will.” There is no U.S.-Russia extradition treaty.

Peskov also said that Putin is not involved in reviewing Snowden’s application or discussions of the ex-NSA contractor’s future with the U.S., though the Russian Security Service, the FSB, had been in touch with the FBI.