For the first time since Edward Snowden arrived in Moscow on June 23rd, he left the Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport's transit zone and formally entered Russia on Thursday.

Russia has granted Snowden Temporary Asylum in their country.

Snowden left the airport in a taxi cab to an undisclosed, secret location hours after being given his asylum papers from Russian authorities. Authorities say that the 30-year-old Snowden now is granted one-year asylum in Russia and his whereabouts will remain secret for the duration of his stay in that country. Snowden will be able to renew his temporary asylum status in one year if he chooses to do so as long as he remains in Russia. The document expires if he leaves the country however.

Snowden’s lawyer in Russia, Anatoly Kucherena told reporters after Snowden’s quiet and undetected departure from the airport, “His location is not being made public for security reasons, since he is the most pursued man on the planet.

When asked where Snowden intended to go as his final destination, Kucherena said, “He himself will decide where he will go.”

Snowden fled to Hong Kong then went on to Russia with intentions of traveling to South America to seek asylum after disclosing documents that revealed the United States’ electronic eavedropping programs. The United States has asked Russia to send him back to the U.S. to face charges related to that disclosure.

Snowden thanked Russia on Thursday for their decision and also released a statement after he was granted asylum. “Over the past eight weeks we have seen the Obama administration show no respect for international or domestic law, but in the end the law is winning,” he said.

President Obama is slated to visit Russia next month and is meeting today with Congressmen to discuss the surveillance program by the U.S. Government.

Some lawmakers have expressed anger over the Russian approval of Snowden’s application to stay in Russia.

Senator John McCain issued a statement saying that Russian’s actions were “a disgrace.” He went on to say, “It is a slap in the face of all Americans. Now is the time to fundamentally rethink our relationship with Putin’s Russia. We need to deal with the Russia that is, not the Russia we might wish for.”

Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Robert Menendez said, “Edward Snowden is a fugitive who belongs in a United States courtroom, not a free man deserving of asylum in Russia.”

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called Russia’s decision a gamechanger and said, “Today’s action by the Russian government could not be more provocative and is a sign of Vladimir Putin’s clear lack of respect for President Obama,” he said. “It is now time for Congress, hopefully in conjunction with the administration, to make it clear to the Russian government that this provocative step in granting Snowden asylum will be met with a firm response.”

Alaska Lawmakers did not issue a response.