Snowden likely to be granted asylum in Russia

They gave him a ton a paperwork to fill out and some new clothes (he's been wearing the same clothes for about a month). Once the approval is given he will be given temporary papers permitting him to leave the airport and live in Russia. At least initially he will be obliged to remain in areas designated by the Russian police. If and when permanent residency or citizenship is granted he would presumably have the freedom of the country. It is unlikely that Snowden will ever be able to leave Russia given his fugitive status.

Oh, and they gave him something else, a book... Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment." Who said Vlady doesn't have a sense of humor?

Snowden Flees Hong Kong; Maybe Heading for S. America

MOSCOW — Edward Snowden, the former government contractor who leaked top-secret documents about U.S. surveillance programs, fled Hong Kong for Moscow on Sunday with the assistance of the anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks, landing at Sheremetyevo International Airport aboard an Aeroflot flight, according to Russian media reports and a WikiLeaks spokesman.

Snowden’s ultimate destination was unknown, but Ricardo Patiño Aroca, Ecuador’s foreign minister, tweeted Sunday afternoon that his government had received a request for asylum from Snowden. WikiLeaks released a statement saying Snowden was “bound for the Republic of Ecuador via a safe route for the purposes of asylum.”

Read the rest here.
Note: This is a developing story and the text at the linked site is likely to change.