Originally Posted by TheSquealer

There is literally zero chance that Snowden wasn't taken aside by FSB officers and interrogated, all his possessions searched, all his items that contained any intel either confiscated or copied and then pressured to continue talking. All that would come after Chinese did the same. Any currency he has to negotiate was spent all ready.

Snowden fucked himself the second he got on a flight to hong kong. I would still guess he was lured there and promises were made. Most likely that he would deliver certain material in exchange for something. Likely money and asylum. Either he didn't deliver or they just cut him loose for another reason... or any reason at all really - he has no leverage anyway to complain. Once he left the US, he was 100% fucked and at everyone's mercy.. and at the mercy of some notoriously shitty governments where the rule of law and human rights aren't the largest priority.

The FSB didn't really have to do anything. He was delivered to them on a silver platter like a trapped rat that has no where to go. Usually that conversation is a cordial one. "Listen, we deeply sympathize with your position and we believe you've done a noble thing... we'd really like to help you. However, please understand the position this puts our nation in, we can protect you.. but it needs to be worth our while... What can you do or say or tell us that would.... " and so the first of many conversations begin where he starts giving up everything he knows again. Ironically giving up any bargaining power and value he may have had.

Most likely Russia will toy with him for a while, until he is no longer useful. It's a power move "we're not sure what we'll do with him...". Basically telling the world "we don't bend for the USA". It's highly unlikely they will allow him to stay, particularly when he has no value to them and its only causing a rift between Russia and the US in the long term.