Their exact identities aren’t known nor what exact information was handed off (and would probably be something that the US would like to know if they wished to clean things up). One of the first press conferences referred to all of this.
You are exactly right. It was said that Snowden e-mailed info, from inside Russia, to some mysterious human rights advocates in insure his safety. There is absolutely no way, for him to securely transmit any information to anyone inside or outside of Russia. Thus, any insurance of his safety is ludicrous. This is a staged event, for what purpose- I have not a clue. *Disclaimer- ALCOA is not now, nor has ever, been my haberdasher.