Vladimir Putin has offered ex-FBI director James Comey political asylum in Russia.
Mr Comey was fired by US President Donald Trump just over a month ago, citing the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's alleged ties to Russia.
During an annual live call-in show, the Russian President said Mr Comey was a "not a security service director, but a civil activist advocating a certain belief".
"[Comey] said he'd written down his conversation with President [Trump] and handed it to the media through a friend of his," said Mr Putin.
"This does sound and look odd: the director of a security service making records of his talks with the supreme commander and handing it over to the media through a friend of his.
"It makes him not a security service director, but a civil activist advocating a certain belief.
"By the way, if he faces any kind of prosecution in this regard, we will provide political asylum in Russia for him as well. He should be aware of that."
On Thursday (NZ time) it was reported by the Washington Post that Mr Trump is now under investigation for obstruction of justice in regards to Mr Comey's dismissal. Mr Trump, who has in the past repeatedly called the Post "fake news", has in a tweet now seemed to confirm it's true.
"They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice," the President wrote.
"You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history - led by some very bad and conflicted people!"
CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden has lived in Moscow since 2013, after being offered asylum.
Newshub.
