Russia has granted asylum to National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden for another three years, furthering the country's continued opposition to the Obama administration.

According to The Washington Post, Snowden's lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said Thursday that the decision gives the former NSA contractor the option to say in Russia through August 2017, which will further strain already tense U.S.-Russian relations.

The decision about the extended asylum came on the same day Russian Prime Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia will ban milk, meat and produce imports from the U.S., Canada, E.U., Australia and Norway for one year.

The decision also gives Snowden the option to become a Russian citizen if he extends his stay until 2018.

Russia's decision to grant temporary asylum to Snowden last year was one factor that began damaging Russian-U.S. relations, which have deteriorated further due to Russia's actions in Ukraine. The decision to grant a longer stay to Snowden is a clear affront to the U.S. and the Obama administration, who have urged Snowden to be repatriated back to the United States.

He added that Snowden has not been granted official political asylum, as that would allow Snowden to say in Russia permanently. Such an action must be decided through political procedure. Kucherena did not mention whether or not Snowden is seeking permanent political asylum in the country.

Snowden is facing extradition due to his release of millions of classified files last year about U.S. intelligence agencies. He released the files to journalists, including to The Washington Post and the U.K. newspaper The Guardian. The revelations caused an international firestorm because the files exposed an overreach of government surveillance, both domestic and abroad. The release of the papers led Obama to review the surveillance powers of intelligence agencies.

Snowden now faces charges of both espionage and theft of government property in the U.S., which could yield a 30-year prison sentence if found guilty.

Snowden's lawyer said that he lives a fairly solitary life.

"He has to think about his security. He has a very modest life," Kucherena said. But, he added that he is "very free" to move around, and goes to theatres and museums.

LifeNews released a photo of Snowden this week at the Bolshoi Theater, where he was smiling, sans glasses, and wearing a dark suit jacket.

Yet, Kucherena says that he's far from home, and therefore "misses his relatives."

He said it is up to Snowden as to whether or not he stays in Russia.

His residence permit allows him to travel abroad for up to three months at a time, yet his travel destinations are limited due to the risk of being extradited to the U.S.

Last year, Snowden spent three weeks in the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport after the U.S. annuled his passport.

Snowden is working in Russia in his designated field, according to his lawyer. "He is a highly qualified IT specialist," Kucherena said.

Snowden must work to pay for housing as well as food and other necessities, as the Russian government is not providing his housing, and is not granting him governmental protection. He therefore lives off his salary, as well as donations. He has guards, but they are not provided by the government.

U.S. authorities have frequently called Snowden's lawyer, especially in the months shortly after Snowden was granted asylum, to repatriate Snowden to the U.S.

Kucherena said he received many calls from Michael McFaul, then the U.S. ambassador to Russia. However, the calls stopped after McFaul stepped down as ambassador this February. Kucherena said he has not heard from any U.S. officials since that time.

The Senate confirmed John Tefft as a replacement for McFaul last week.