The father of fugitive U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden is expected to come to Russia along with other relatives in the near future, Snowden's attorney said Monday.
"Visas have been granted," lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said in comments aired by the Rossia-24 television channel. He added that the father's date of arrival had yet to be determined.
His father, Lon Snowden, received a visa Aug. 1, and there has since been a continuous stream of reports about when he would visit.
The younger Snowden, a former U.S. intelligence contractor, is wanted by the U.S. on espionage and theft charges after leaking classified information about the U.S. National Security Agency's sweeping telephone and electronic surveillance programs. He received temporary asylum in Russia in August, a move that has further strained U.S.-Russian relations.
