Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who leaked details about a worldwide US government backed spying programme, has been allowed to leave Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, it is rumoured.
Snowden's lawyer has said he had not yet received documents that would allow him to leave the airport and will continue to stay in the transit area.
The USA has been putting pressure on governments around the world to bring Snowden back to American soil. Moscow previously said it would consider granting Snowden asylum, as long as the leaks stop.
Several South American countries also offered Snowden asylum, and Bolivian president Evo Morales' personal plane was grounded in Europe because of pressure from the United States.
The Interfax news agency, the BBC reports, said Snowden would be given new clothes before leaving the airport. But lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said Wednesday that Snowden was still in the airport.
The Snowden revelations showed other countries were cooperating with the United States for the blanket surveillance, including Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand. It's alleged that US intelligence has been spying on diplomatic missions and in EU offices.
In a recent poll, it was revealed that most Americans consider Snowden a well meaning whistleblower rather than a hostile foreign force.