[adcoelho]

I feel like this is more of a gateway for applying for asylum in some embassies, as required by some countries, rather than an opportunity to stay in Russia indefinitely, or at least for an year until the next renewal.

[k-mcgrady]

I think that is his plan. He can't apply for asylum in most countries without going to their embassies and to do that he needs entry to Russia.

[adcoelho]

But its weird that Russia suddenly decided to grant him this safe pass after denying him asylum in order to maintain the relations with the USA. Could there be a hidden agenda somewhere?

[k-mcgrady]

I don't think they ever denied him asylum, this is the first he has applied. They just said that he had to stop releasing information that's damaging to the US in order to be granted asylum.