MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. Former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden has applied for extending Russian residence permit for another three years, his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told TASS on Thursday.

"Yes, recently we submitted documents for extending the residence permit for three more years. We hope the decision will be positive," the lawyer said, noting that the issue of obtaining Russian citizenship was not discussed at the moment.

In 2013, Snowden leaked information on the methods of electronic surveillance by US intelligence services, including illegally wiretapping foreign leaders. Fleeing from prosecution, Snowden sent requests for asylum to some countries, including Russia. On August 1, 2014, he received a Russian residence permit valid for three years, which was later extended for another three years. In February, Kucherena announced that Snowden’s residence permit in Russia would expire in April and the paperwork was underway to extend it.

In the United States, Snowden is charged with two counts of violating the Espionage Act. He may face up to ten years in prison on each of the counts. The US authorities have repeatedly stated that they consider Snowden a traitor who caused grave damage to national security.