Former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden has been given leave to remain in Russia for another couple of years, a spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry said.

"Snowden's residency in Russia has just been extended by another couple of years," the spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said in a post on Facebook.

Snowden fled the United States in May 2013 after the government filed espionage charges against him.

He was then granted an asylum in Russia for one year, which was later extended to three years.

Snowden's asylum was due to expire in 2017.