Russia denies receiving asylum request from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden

Russia has not received any application from Edward Snowden, the US National Security Agency leaker, seeking asylum in the country.

Snowden met with human rights activists in Russia and said he would seek asylum in the country.

He added that the asylum will be a temporary measure before going to Venezuela, Bolivia or Nicaragua, all of which have offered him asylum.

However, Russian migration service head Konstantin Romodanovsky said they have not received asylum request from the NSA whistleblower.

According to Politico, Snowden had made a previous bid for asylum in Russia, but President Vladimir Putin had asked him to agree to stop further leaks of information about American intelligence service activities before it would be considered.

Snowden withdrew the bid, but participants in Friday's meeting said he was now ready to agree to stop leaks.

The meeting at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo international airport’s transit zone, included representatives of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.