Computer: Lawyer: Snowden to leave Moscow airport soon

Lawyer: Snowden will leave Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport in the next few daysHe applied for temporary asylum in Russia on Tuesday; paperwork is pendingPutin says U.S.-Russian ties "are far more important" than any intelligence scandalSnowden has been in the airport transit zone since he left Hong Kong on June 23

Moscow (CNN) -- Fugitive American intelligence leaker Edward Snowden is likely to leave the transit zone in Moscow's airport, where he's been holed up for weeks, "in the next few days," his lawyer said Wednesday.

Snowden applied for temporary asylum in Russia on Tuesday from Sheremetyevo International Airport.

He "will leave (the airport) in the next few days because some legal papers are still required to be formalized," Russian attorney Anatoly Kucherena said in Moscow.

Read more: Snowden's transit zone mysteries

if (typeof cnnArticleGallery == "undefined") {var cnnArticleGallery = {};}var expGallery613=new ArticleExpandableGallery();

Snowden's application

Snowden's applicationA former National Security Agency contractor, Snowden admittedly leaked documents to the media that exposed sweeping U.S. electronic surveillance programs. He faces espionage charges.

Kucharena, who helped Snowden file his application for asylum, said his client might be able to leave the airport while the request is considered.

Interactive: Snowden's options

Within a few days, Snowden should receive a certificate showing that the asylum request is under consideration, and that certificate will allow him to legally leave the airport's transit area, the attorney said.

It's not clear whether Russia will decide to grant temporary asylum. Snowden has said he wants to stay while awaiting passage to Latin America.

President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Snowden appeared to be "shifting his position somewhat" when it comes to meeting Russia's conditions for asylum, according to state news agency Ria Novosti.

He had earlier said that Snowden would have to "stop his work aimed at harming our American partners" if he wanted to stay.

The Guardian journalist who broke the Snowden story and a spokesman for WikiLeaks have both indicated that Snowden could reveal more secrets.

On Wednesday, Putin told reporters in Moscow that ties between the United States and Russia "are far more important" than any intelligence scandal. The Russian leader said that he believes that Snowden "never intended to stay here, in Russia, forever."

Snowden arrived in Moscow from Hong Kong on June 23. He has been unable to leave because the United States revoked his passport.

The presidents of Venezuela and Bolivia have said their countries would give Snowden asylum, and Nicaragua's president said he would offer it "if circumstances permit."

UK intelligence agency did not break law, post-Snowden inquiry finds

Snowden appears likely to try to avoid the chance of U.S. capture even if Russia grants him papers to leave.

Washington has no extradition agreement with Russia and FBI agents who work at the American Embassy have no authority to make arrests.

The U.S. government has requested Russia expel Snowden. Absent that, it will watch carefully the route he takes if he tries to reach one of the Latin American countries willing to take him in.

The United States could grab Snowden if any plane carrying him were to refuel in a country that respects U.S. arrest warrants. But he likely will be careful to avoid that scenario.

Nevertheless, the United States has sent provisional arrest warrants to a number of countries where Snowden could either transit or seek asylum, a U.S. official said last week.

CNN's Carol Cratty in Washington contributed to this report.

/* push in config for this share instance */cnn_shareconfig.push({"id" : "cnn_sharebar2","url" : "http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/17/world/russia-snowden/index.html","title" : "Snowden will leave Moscow airport in a few days, lawyer says"});

June 23, 2013 -- Updated 1425 GMT (2225 HKT)

He's a high-school dropout who worked his way into the most secretive computers in U.S. intelligence as a defense contractor. July 12, 2013 -- Updated 1748 GMT (0148 HKT)

It seemed like an exciting assignment -- go to Moscow on the trail of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.July 11, 2013 -- Updated 2203 GMT (0603 HKT)

U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden is grounded in Moscow's airport, but his future is up in the air. July 16, 2013 -- Updated 1338 GMT (2138 HKT)

Follow Snowden's movements across the globe and where he has requested asylum via our interactive.July 8, 2013 -- Updated 1211 GMT (2011 HKT)

So where, exactly, is Edward Snowden? President Vladimir Putin knows. But Russia's chief snooper isn't telling. Not exactly, anyway.July 2, 2013 -- Updated 1356 GMT (2156 HKT)

President Barack Obama responded to outrage by European leaders over revelations of alleged U.S. spying.June 20, 2013 -- Updated 1548 GMT (2348 HKT)

Click through our gallery and browse through the history of high-profile intelligence leaking cases.July 5, 2013 -- Updated 1003 GMT (1803 HKT)

Are you jaded with your home country, want to pay lower taxes, enjoy the freedom to travel and strive for a higher quality of life? July 2, 2013 -- Updated 1437 GMT (2237 HKT)

Former President George W. Bush talks Snowden, AIDS, Mandela and his legacy.June 26, 2013 -- Updated 1304 GMT (2104 HKT)

Edward Snowden took a job with a firm that provides contractors to the NSA solely to gather evidence about U.S. surveillance programs.

Is Edward Snowden a hero, a traitor or something in between? Here's a glance at your opinions about the NSA leaker.June 19, 2013 -- Updated 1047 GMT (1847 HKT)

Let's face it: Most of us don't e-mail, tweet, text or post anything worthy of clandestine scrutiny.June 12, 2013 -- Updated 1153 GMT (1953 HKT)

The girlfriend of self-avowed NSA leaker Edward Snowden wrote that she was "adrift in a sea of chaos" after he spilled government secrets and fled. June 17, 2013 -- Updated 0119 GMT (0919 HKT)