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Snowden reportedly hired by Russian internet company

Largest internet companies Yandex.Ru and Mail.Ru said they did not hire him
Photo EPA/HO
Photo EPA/HO

MOSCOW, October 31. (Itar-Tass) – Mail.Ru Group and Yandex, Russia’s largest internet companies, told Itar-Tass they did not have talks with the former NSA contractor Edward Snowden with regards to his employment. A representative of VK, Russia’s largest social network, refused to make a statement on the possibility of hiring Snowden.

Earlier today Snowden’s attorney in Russia, Anatoly Kucherena, said that the American whistleblower was hired to “work on supporting one of largest Russian websites.” However, for security purposes, the lawyer refused to specify the website.

It should be noted that previously Pavel Durov, founder of VK (what many call the Russian Facebook) has publicly invited Snowden on board of his team. “Currently Edward tries to keep a low profile, and my offer was public: it could be a problem,” Durov said at the Disrupt Europe 2013 conference in Berlin, adding that Snowden was a highly-qualified professional when it came to data protection and that the company would be interested in hiring him.

Snowden remains in Russia, after receiving a temporary asylum permit August 1.