Fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has left Moscow's airport where he has been holed up for over a month, his Russian lawyer has told state TV.

Snowden, who leaked details on the National Security Agency's secretive PRISM data-logging spy program has been granted temporary asylum for one year in Russia, his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told Russia 24 on Thursday.

"Snowden has left Sheremetyevo airport," he said.

"He has just been given a certificate that he has been awarded temporary asylum in Russia for one year."

Mr Kucherena added that Snowden left the airport for an undisclosed secure location.

"I have just seen him off. He has left for a secure location. Security is a very serious matter for him," he said.

Mr Kucherena told AFP that Snowden had left in a normal taxi on his own.

"His location is not being made public for security reasons since he is the most pursued man on the planet. He himself will decide where he will go," he said.

On Russia 24 television, Mr Kucherena held up a scanned copy of Snowden's certificate granting him a year's temporary asylum in Russia.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 2 minutes 58 seconds 2 m 58 s Snowden gets temporary asylum in Russia Download 1.4 MB

"He has gone to a safe place. I hope you will be understanding about this information," he said.

"He may stay in a flat or in a hotel. So since he is the most pursued man on Earth he today will be working on security questions."

Mr Kucherna said Snowden would eventually emerge into public view and give interviews to the press.

But he said Snowden first required an "adaptation course" after so long in the transit zone.

Snowden has been staying in the transit zone of the Sheremetyevo airport outside Moscow since he flew in from Hong Kong on June 23 and has never formally crossed the Russian border.

Snowden, fugitive of the US

What is PRISM? Eavesdropping program used by US intelligence agencies

Eavesdropping program used by US intelligence agencies Allegedly allows the National Security Agency (NSA) and the FBI direct access to servers to track an individual's web presence

Allegedly allows the National Security Agency (NSA) and the FBI direct access to servers to track an individual's web presence Reports Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, Apple, AOL, Skype and YouTube among those involved

Reports Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, Apple, AOL, Skype and YouTube among those involved Data monitored could include search histories, emails, social media interactions, connection logs, audio and video

Data monitored could include search histories, emails, social media interactions, connection logs, audio and video Washington Post says PRISM program is the most significant contributor to US president Barack Obama's daily briefings, accounting for one in seven intelligence reports

Snowden leaked details of secret surveillance programs run by the US National Security Agency (NSA), which has access to vast amounts of internet data such as emails, chat rooms and video under a government program known as PRISM.

In June, US federal prosecutors charged him with espionage, stealing government property, unauthorised communication of national defence information and wilful communication of classified communications intelligence to an unauthorised person.

His awarding of asylum status in Russia came two days after US soldier Bradley Manning was convicted of espionage on Tuesday for leaking US secrets to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks.

The US has promised Moscow that Snowden would not face the death penalty if he was handed over.

Russian president Vladimir Putin's foreign policy advisor, Yury Ushakov, says ties between Russia and the United States will not suffer because of the "relatively insignificant" case of Snowden's asylum.

"Our president has ... expressed hope many times that this will not affect the character of our relations," he told reporters, adding there was no sign US president Barack Obama would cancel a planned visit to Moscow in September.

AFP/Reuters