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Putin ready to provide political asylum to former FBI director

According to Putin, James Comey is more like a rights activist than a secret service chief

James Comey AP Photo/Alex Brandon

James Comey

© AP Photo/Alex Brandon

MOSCOW, June 15. /TASS/. Former FBI Director James Comey who secretly recorded his conversation with US President Donald Trump, is no different from Edward Snowden, so Moscow is ready to provide political asylum to him, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his annual televised question and answer session dubbed The Direct Line.

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Kremlin comments on Trump’s decision to sack FBI chief

According to Putin, Comey is more like a rights activist than a secret service chief. "If he continues to be persecuted in this connection, we will be ready to provide political asylum to him, he should know about that," the Russian president said.

Putin pointed out that Comey had admitted to have recorded his conversation with Trump, handing it over to the media through a friend. "This sounds strange when a secret service chief records his conversation with the commander-in-chief to hand the record to the media," Putin added.

According to earlier reports, before firing Comey, Trump had asked him to put an end to the investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s alleged links to Russia.

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