A flight from Moscow to Cuba that whistleblower Edward Snowden was expected to be on has left the Russian capital, but he did not appear to be onboard.
The Havana-bound Aeroflot plane was set to be the next step on his journey to evade US justice as he seeks asylum in Ecuador.
He was reportedly checked-in for the flight but a security source told Russian news agency Interfax that he was not on board. Journalists on the flight posted pictures on an empty seat believed to be where he was expected to sit.
Washington had urged Russia to do all it could to expel the former CIA intelligence analyst and send him to the US before he got the chance to take the expected flight to Havana.
Mr Snowden, 30, is seeking asylum in Ecuador, which has been sheltering Julian Assange, the founder of the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, at its London embassy for the past year.
Ecuadorean foreign minister Ricardo Patino said the country was "analysing" his request for asylum, which "has to do with freedom of expression and with the security of citizens around the world".
Venezuela, Cuba and Ecuador are all members of the ALBA bloc, an alliance of leftist governments in Latin America that pride themselves on their "anti-imperialist" credentials.
Aeroflot said Snowden had registered for the Havana flight using his passport, despite efforts by America to prosecute him for allegedly revealing highly classified government secrets.
He was allowed to leave Hong Kong on Sunday despite his passport being revoked and Washington asking the Chinese territory to arrest him for extradition on spying charges in the US.
The Interfax news agency reported sources as telling it the American had now also likely "already left Russia", despite not appearing to be on the flight.
The US state department has said the situation threatens to strain diplomatic relations between the US and Russia and China.
There was also growing anger in America over Russia's decision to allow him access to the country.
There was also growing anger in America over Russia's decision to allow him access to the country.
US Senator Charles Schumer said Russian President Vladimir Putin probably knew of and approved Mr Snowden's flight to Russia, and predicted "serious consequences" for a US-Russian relationship already strained over Syria and human rights issues.
Senate intelligence committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein said: "I want to get him caught and brought back for trial. I think the chase is on and we'll see what happens."
Secretary of State John Kerry said the US did not know Mr Snowden's intended travel destination, adding he would be "deeply troubled" if China and Russia had prior notice of the whistleblower's travel plans.
Russian officials were defiant, saying Moscow had no obligation to co-operate with Washington after it passed the so-called Magnitsky law, which permits visa bans and asset freezes on Russian officials accused of human rights violations.
The Kremlin added it was unaware of any contact between Mr Snowden and the Russian authorities.
The debacle is a major embarrassment for President Barack Obama, who has been trying to reset ties with Russia and build a partnership with China.
China said on Sunday it was "gravely concerned" by Mr Snowden's claim that US spies had hacked Chinese IT targets, particularly as the Obama administration has painted the US as a victim of Chinese government computer hacking.
Mr Snowden claimed the NSA has been keeping details of millions of phone calls by Americans and monitoring the use by foreigners of internet sites including Google, Facebook and Yahoo.
Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, the legal director of WikiLeaks, who is assisting the American and is a lawyer for Mr Assange, said: "The WikiLeaks legal team and I are interested in preserving Mr Snowden’s rights and protecting him as a person.
"What is being done to Mr Snowden and to Mr Julian Assange - for making or facilitating disclosures in the public interest - is an assault against the people."
WikiLeaks said he was being accompanied by Sarah Harrison, whom it described as a UK citizen, journalist and legal researcher.
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