From Twitter: @wikileaks FLASH: WikiLeaks has assisted Mr. Snowden's political asylum [View all]

[Hissyspit]

WikiLeaks ‏@wikileaks 2m
FLASH: WikiLeaks has assisted Mr. Snowden's political asylum in a democratic country, travel papers ans safe exit from Hong Kong. More soon.

WikiLeaks ‏@wikileaks 19s
FLASH: Mr. Snowden is currently over Russian airspace accompanied by WikiLeaks legal advisors.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/23/edward-snowden-leaves-hong-kong-moscow?CMP=twt_fd

According to the South China Morning Post he boarded an Aeroflot flight to Moscow, although the newspaper said Russia was not his ultimate destination. It suggested he might go to Ecuador or Iceland – having cited the latter as a possible refuge in an interview with the Guardian.

The newspaper claimed he took off from the airport at 10.55am on flight SU213 on Sunday morning and was due to arrive at Moscow's Shermetyevo International Airport at 5.15pm.

It added that the Russian embassy in Beijing would neither confirm nor deny he was on a flight to Moscow and the Russian consulate in Hong Kong declined to comment.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian president Vladimir Putin, said: "I don't [know if he's planning to stay in Moscow]. I heard about the potential [arrival] from the press. I know nothing."

On whether Moscow would still consider a request for asylum from Snowden: "Every application is considered so it's standard procedure … We are not tracing his movements and I know nothing."

US authorities could not be reached for comment immediately.

WikiLeaks said on its Twitter feed that it had "assisted Mr Snowden's political asylum in a democratic country, travel papers and safe exit from Hong Kong".

On Friday, an Icelandic businessman linked to WikiLeaks told Reuters he had prepared a private plane for Snowden's use if the government was willing to give him asylum.

"A private jet is in place in China and we could fly Snowden over tomorrow if we get positive reaction from the interior ministry. We need to get confirmation of asylum and that he will not be extradited to the US. We would most want him to get a citizenship as well," said Olafur Vignir Sigurvinsson, a director of DataCell, which processed payments for WikiLeaks.