The most well-known whistleblower in the world, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, said in the interview that he wasn’t cooperating with the Russian government at all, and had given them no secret files after almost a year of asylum there. NBC News was told that Snowden had no relationship with the Russian government: the whistleblower received no support by the government, was not taking any money from it, and he was not a spy.

On the other hand, Keith Alexander, an ex-NSA director, claimed that it was very unlikely that the security services of the Russian Federation haven’t squeezed Edward for secrets. It is more likely that Snowden was being manipulated by Russian intelligence.

Edward Snowden said that he would like to come back to the United States if the country welcomes him without threatening to spent all life behind the bars, and insists that he destroyed classified content before even transiting to a Moscow airport, where he was prevented from onward travel. In the interview, he said that he brought nothing to Russia, and therefore could give them nothing.

The former NSA contractor briefly criticized the crackdown on freedom of expression under Russian President Putin. As Snowden claims to be a defender of privacy and civil liberties, he admitted it was very “frustrating” to “end up stuck” in a country where privacy and civil rights are being challenged in “deeply unfair ways”.

In the meantime, Secretary of State John Kerry invited Edward Snowden to “man up and come back to the US” where he could find himself locked up for the rest of his life. Apparently, Edward Snowden wouldn’t just “walk into a jail cell”. So, if his one-year asylum in Russia (which expires on August 1) is going to run out, then he would apply for an extension, as he just has no other options.

Haha yeah, im sure Russia would let him stay there for free. He obviously gave them something or they would have booted him out.

Well lets see if he gets an extension - if he doesnt, maybe he gave them nothing of value!