Edward Snowden 'trapped in Russia by US', says Vladimir Putin Asked about the future of the American, who has reportedly been living in the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport for the last three weeks, the Russian president said: "How do I know? It's his life, his fate. Mr Putin added: "He came to our territory without invitation, we did not invite him. And we weren't his final destination. He was flying in transit to other states. But the moment he was in the air ... our American partners, in fact, blocked his further flight. They have spooked all the other countries, nobody wants to take him and in that way, in fact, they have themselves blocked him on our territory. Mr Snowden, 30, a former computer technician for the CIA and the US National Security Agency, flew in to Sheremetyevo from Hong Kong after leaking details of US surveillance. On Friday, he said he was applying for temporary asylum in Russia, with the eventual aim of seeking refuge from US espionage charges in South America. Mr Putin has indicated Mr Snowden could stay in Russia if he did nothing to "harm our US partners," which he believes the fugitive is now beginning to accept. "As soon as there is an opportunity for him to move elsewhere, I hope he will do that," he said. The conditions for granting political asylum are known to him. And judging by his latest actions, he is shifting his position. But the situation has not been clarified yet.