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US intelligence has info on possible transfer of Snowden to US - TV

Snowden's lawyer in the US, Ben Wizner, said he was unaware of such plans

© EPA/SVEIN OVE EKORNESVAAG

NEW YORK, February 11. /TASS/. The US intelligence has received information suggesting that Russian special services consider handing over NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden as a "gift" to Donald Trump, NBC reported citing unnamed US intelligence sources.

The channel sources an unnamed US official who came to the conclusion that Russia considers turning over Snowden to "curry favor" with Trump after analyzing "a series of highly sensitive intelligence reports detailing Russian deliberations." Another source confirmed the information about the Russian conversations.

Read also

Lawyer claims US never formally requested to extradite Snowden

Snowden's lawyer in the US, Ben Wizner, said he was unaware of such plans. "Team Snowden has received no such signals and has no new reason for concern," Wizner said.

Snowden’s Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told TASS on February 7 that Russia has not received any requests from the United States to date. "No charges have been brought against Snowden to this day. Russia has received no extradition requests," he said.

He expressed hope that the new US president "will take a balanced approach to this matter and make the sole decision that is correct - to terminate criminal prosecution of Edward Snowden, a man who loves America and misses it."

Snowden replied to the report on Twitter by saying that those rumors clearly show that he never worked with the Russian government.

"Finally: irrefutable evidence that I never cooperated with Russian intel," Snowden wrote. "No country trades away spies, as the rest would fear they're next."

Snowden, a civil employee of the National Security Agency, in 2013 disclosed electronic spying methods being used by US secret services, including the tapping of telephones of foreign leaders. In his attempts to escape persecution by the US authorities, Snowden asked more than 20 countries, including Russia, for political asylum. On August 1, 2014 he was granted a residence permit and has remained in Russian territory since.

In the United States Snowden is charged under two articles of the spying law. Each of the charges is punishable with a maximum of ten years in prison. US Administration officials have said more than once they regarded Snowden as a traitor and had no intention of forgiving him, because he caused serious harm to national security.

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Russia warns US, NATO against harming its security — diplomat

Maria Zakharova stressed that "the level of nuclear risks have risen dramatically as a result of the West’s destructive policy, which is fraught with a direct military confrontation between nuclear powers"

Ukrainian opposition demands parliament speaker's resignation over pro-Hitler remarks

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French neo-Nazi ringleader liquidated near Avdeyevka — sources

There is confirmed evidence of his connections with French secret services

Houthis say they attacked MSC Darwin vessel in Gulf of Aden

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Reinforced Ukrainian battlegroup fails to break through Russian defenses in DPR — expert

Andrey Marochko added that the Ukrainians have also intensified artillery and drone attacks at Russian positions

Negative trends still on rise in US-China relations — top Chinese diplomat

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Global community changing tune about how Ukraine conflict started — security official

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Ukraine had to negotiate agreements with Russia with ‘three masters’ — Russian envoy

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Polish leader cautions NATO allies against provoking Russia

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NATO bears direct responsibility for Ukraine crisis — Chinese Foreign Ministry

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"The American aid won’t save Zelensky. New weapons will be destroyed, and the special military operation goals will be achieved," Anatoly Antonov stressed

Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

Andrey Babenko said that after a crash course in Britain he had been sent to the frontline near Liman

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US-oriented structures try to reformat security system in Asia-Pacific region

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu underlined that this is being done by strengthening "military-political structures such as QUAD, AUKUS and the US-Japan-Philippines triad"

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Global community condemns use of terrorists in geopolitical struggle — Russian official

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev noted that the heads of foreign delegations expressed sincere condolences to the Russian people over the casualties of the attack on a concert hall outside Moscow

Russian Embassy to Austria denied participation in ceremony at Nazi concentration camp

The embassy said that the Austrian Mauthhausen Committee had also cautioned the organizations of Russian compatriots in Austria against participating in the event

Security concerns mount as radical Islamists flock to Southeast Asia

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu added that establishing a security framework in Eurasia will be an important goal for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Staff shortage cannot be covered by labor migration — Putin

Labor productivity requires a significant increase in all sectors of the economy, the President stressed

Ukraine’s army leaves first defensive line in Berdychi near Avdeyevka, says DPR

The Ukrainian military has suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware in that community, Igor Kimakovsky said

Abrams tanks easy targets for drones — Russian expert

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Promotion of Russian brands gives good return — Putin

Comprehensive mechanisms require to be worked out, the head of state noted, responding to a proposal to add new tools to support of congress and exhibition activities

Kiev confirms pulling back US-made Abrams tanks due to vulnerability to Russian UAVs

Thirty-one American tanks have become "unfit for the classical deployment," Maxim Buzhansky said

US government prepares to sign $6-bln contract for arms deliveries to Ukraine — Politico

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Russian troops destroy 89 Ukrainian UAVs, 5 boats in Kherson area over past day

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West bends sanctions rules when it suits them — Kremlin

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Top Chinese diplomat calls for creating conditions for talks on Ukraine

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Shoigu talks about ties with NATO, attacks on Zaporozhye NPP as he attends SCO meeting

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Moscow, Minsk pushing for peace even as 'war in the air' — Belarusian official

Pavel Muraveiko stressed that "the leaders of Belarus and Russia are doing everything possible and impossible to ensure peace and security on western borders"