Just two days after the United States government criminally charged Edward Snowden with espionage and other crimes, the infamous whistleblower is on the move. On Sunday, the former NSA contractor left Hong Kong on a commercial flight, landed in Moscow, and was reportedly picked up by Venezuelan diplomats in the Russian capital.

Snowden’s travel is being assisted by WikiLeaks, and he is still in transit to a “democratic nation”—possibly Venezuela or Ecuador. ABC News reports that Snowden's US passport was revoked on Saturday. A senior American government official told the news network, "We have little idea how he left Hong Kong." That could suggest Snowden has secured travel documents, such as a temporary passport or a laissez-passer, from another country.

UPDATE 11:43am CT: Ricardo Patino, the foreign minister of Ecuador, wrote on Twitter: "The Government of Ecuador has received an asylum request from Edward J. Snowden."

Ecuador has sheltered WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in its London embassy for more than a year as he faces extradition to Sweden. Previously, the Russian government said it would “consider” an asylum application from Snowden, but there is no indication that Snowden has taken up the Kremlin on this offer. For even further options, an Icelandic WikiLeaks ally said he stood ready to move Snowden to Iceland via a chartered jet.

Ars has contacted the State Department in Washington, D.C., and the Ecuadorian Embassy in Moscow for confirmation, but neither immediately responded.

UPDATE 9:30pm CT: According to an e-mail sent to Ars from US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki: "As is routine and consistent with US regulations, persons with felony arrest warrants are subject to having their passport revoked. Such a revocation does not affect citizenship status. Persons wanted on felony charges, such as Mr. Snowden, should not be allowed to proceed in any further international travel, other than is necessary to return him to the United States. Because of the Privacy Act, we cannot comment on Mr. Snowden's passport specifically."

Meanwhile, Washington says it still wants Snowden extradited to the US.

"We will continue to discuss this matter with Hong Kong and pursue relevant law enforcement cooperation with other countries where Mr. Snowden may be attempting to travel," said Nanda Chitre, a spokesperson for the United States Department of Justice, in a statement.

Russia’s Interfax news agency reports that Snowden is spending the night in Moscow before heading for Havana, Cuba. He will then continue on to Caracas, Venezuela (Google Translate). WikiLeaks issued a statement saying that it was helping move Snowden around the globe.

Mr. Edward Snowden, the American whistleblower who exposed evidence of a global surveillance regime conducted by US and UK intelligence agencies, has left Hong Kong legally. He is bound for a democratic nation via a safe route for the purposes of asylum and is being escorted by diplomats and legal advisors from WikiLeaks. Mr. Snowden requested that WikiLeaks use its legal expertise and experience to secure his safety. Once Mr. Snowden arrives at his final destination, his request will be formally processed. Former Spanish Judge Mr. Baltasar Garzon, legal director of WikiLeaks and lawyer for Julian Assange, has made the following statement: "The WikiLeaks legal team and I are interested in preserving Mr. Snowden’s rights and protecting him as a person. What is being done to Mr. Snowden and to Mr. Julian Assange—for making or facilitating disclosures in the public interest—is an assault against the people."

The group also identified Sarah Harrison, a Briton legal researcher and journalist who is apparently travelling with Snowden and the WikiLeaks team.

"There is no legal basis to restrict Mr. Snowden from leaving Hong Kong"

Back in Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that lawyers from the quasi-city-state worked with Snowden during his stay there.

“Snowden left Hong Kong today through legal, legitimate means and the proper immigration channels,” attorney Robert Tibbo told the SCMP. "We have been acting for Snowden for the past two weeks.”

The Chinese government also said it is following the situation.

Meanwhile, the government of Hong Kong also issued this statement:

Mr. Edward Snowden left Hong Kong today (June 23) on his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel. The US Government earlier on made a request to the [Hong Kong Special Administrative Region] Government for the issue of a provisional warrant of arrest against Mr. Snowden. Since the documents provided by the US Government did not fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law, the HKSAR Government has requested the US Government to provide additional information so that the Department of Justice could consider whether the US Government's request can meet the relevant legal conditions. As the HKSAR Government has yet to have sufficient information to process the request for provisional warrant of arrest, there is no legal basis to restrict Mr. Snowden from leaving Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government has already informed the US Government of Mr. Snowden's departure. Meanwhile, the HKSAR Government has formally written to the US Government requesting clarification on earlier reports about the hacking of computer systems in Hong Kong by US government agencies. The HKSAR Government will continue to follow up on the matter so as to protect the legal rights of the people of Hong Kong.

UPDATE 20:02pm CT: US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki issued a statement on the Snowden situation to Ars:

"As is routine and consistent with US regulations, persons with felony arrest warrants are subject to having their passport revoked. Such a revocation does not affect citizenship status. Persons wanted on felony charges, such as Mr. Snowden, should not be allowed to proceed in any further international travel, other than is necessary to return him to the United States. Because of the Privacy Act, we cannot comment on Mr. Snowden's passport specifically."