Just when the Snowden spy saga needs comic relief to counter Washington’s bad-tempered diplomacy, in walks Russian president Vladimir Putin with his own way of describing what might be in the whole deal for Moscow – “it’s like shearing a pig – lots of screams, but little wool.”

Clearly the Russian leader thought he could indulge in such colourful language because for the benefit of the international throngs following the story, he had just answered the ‘where’s Wally’ question – indeed, Mr Snowden was still at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport; though in the transit area which, technically, meant he was not in the country.

And showing he was not to be cowed by the American bullyboys, Mr Putin vowed that Russian authorities would not comply with American demands that Mr Snowden be snatched and handed over to them.

And if only in the eyes of US officials who think otherwise, Mr Putin veered towards the disingenuous, insisting that his security agencies had not interrogated Mr Snowden or been through his four laptops.