NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden has insisted that he does not work for the Russian government, even though Russia is his temporary home while he is a fugitive from the United States.

Seen here previously speaking to Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras of The Guardian, the 30 year old told the Washington Post from a secret location that he acted in the interest of Americans by leaking details about surveillance by the National Security Agency eight months ago.

He said: "There is no evidence at all for the claim that I have loyalties to Russia or China or any country other than the United States. I have no relationship with the Russian government. I have not entered into any agreements with them."

"If I defected at all, I defected from the government to the public."

Earlier this week Russian president Vladimir Putin told journalists he has never met Snowden, and that Russian intelligence services have not worked with him since his arrival in the country.

Written by Alfred Joyner