Russian President Vladimir Putin declared his readiness to grant political asylum to the former head of the FBI, James Comey. He compared Comey with a former CIA employee, Edward Snowdon, who was able to take refuge.
If the Comey is persecuted at home for his political convictions, then he can get protection in Russian jurisdiction, said Putin.
Putin said Comey act was very strange
Comey handed over to journalists a record of his conversations with the president Donald Trump, the Russian president recalled. The Comey Act, according to Putin, differs little from the actions of Edward Snowden.
At the same time, the Russian president noted that it sounds very strange when the head of the special service recorded a conversation with the supreme commander-in-chief and then passed the record through his friend to the media.
Former US intelligence officer Edward Snowden broadcast media reports on surveillance programs used by the US National Security Agency (NSA).
Since 2013, Snowden, who in the United States faces a sentence for state treason, lives in Russia.
At the same time, Putin noted that despite the lack of evidence, the former head of the FBI is confident that Russia has interfered in the course of the presidential campaign in the United States in 2016.
Comey testified under an oath
The president Donald Trump fired James Comey in early May. In early June, Comey gave testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, effectively accusing the Trump administration of lying. Comey also gave the committee written testimony, based on records of his conversations with Trump.
Comey also claimed in front of the Senate Committee that Trump made him drop an investigation into alleged links between Flynn and Russia.
The US blamed Russia for interfering in 2016 elections
The US blamed Moscow for interfering in their internal affairs, but they also keep silent about the fact that they themselves defend their interests by intervening against other countries. The Russian leader also commented on the recent statement of the US Senate about the readiness to conduct new sanctions against Moscow.
The Russian leader also commented on the recent statement of the US Senate about the readiness to conduct new sanctions against Moscow. Putin stressed that the sanctions policy harms the bilateral dialogue, and the new restrictions that Washington wants to introduce will only worsen the already strained relations.