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Russian authorities have taken a stricter stance against Apple as they now prohibit thousands of officials and state employees from using iPhones and other Apple products over concerns of “espionage”. The ban is being implemented by the trade ministry, digital development ministry, and Rostec, a state-owned company under western sanctions for supplying Russia’s military in Ukraine. This move reflects the Kremlin and the Federal Security Service spy agency’s growing worry about increased espionage activities by US intelligence agencies targeting Russian state institutions.
A government agency insider stated that security officials in the ministries, who are employees of the Federal Security Service, have announced that iPhones are no longer safe and alternatives must be sought. This ban comes a year after President Vladimir Putin called for organizations involved in critical information infrastructure to switch to domestically developed software by 2025, aligning with Moscow’s desire for state institutions to move away from foreign technology.
According to Andrey Soldatov, a Russian security expert, officials genuinely believe that Americans can wiretap their equipment, but some government officials opposed these restrictions purely because they liked iPhones. The ban is expected to be enforced in the finance and energy ministries as well as other official bodies. However, the ministries and the government have not provided any comments on this matter.
The ban extends to work-related emails, as reported by the deputy head of the trade ministry, Vasily Osmakov. It is also being observed by other ministries, while personal use of Apple devices remains unaffected. Some government officials find the ban inconvenient as they must now carry an additional phone or tablet for work purposes.
Alexey Lukatsky, a Russian cybersecurity veteran, doubts that officials will permanently switch to using devices with the basic Russian-made Aurora operating system. He notes that there were already restrictions on using work email on non-certified devices, but compliance was an issue. The question arises whether officials will now comply with the ban.
The FSB, Russia’s main security agency, recently announced the uncovering of a “spying operation by US intelligence agencies using Apple devices”, which initiated Moscow’s campaign against Apple. Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesperson, stated that the iPhone is transparent and its use for official purposes is prohibited. The FSB claims that thousands of iPhones, with both Russian SIM cards and those registered with Russian diplomatic missions in NATO countries, Israel, Syria, and China, were infected with monitoring software, implying Apple’s cooperation with the US National Security Agency.
The FSB’s claim that Apple collaborates with US intelligence services to exercise control over certain individuals was refuted by Apple. The tech company stated that it has never worked with any government to create backdoors in its products. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, criticized Apple’s denial, suggesting that a tech company claiming non-cooperation with intelligence communities is either lying or on the verge of collapse. This reaction highlights Russia’s disengagement from the West.
In 2010, Medvedev, as the then-progressive president, visited the US to promote better relations between the two countries. During his visit to Silicon Valley, he proudly received an iPhone 4 from Steve Jobs, the former CEO of Apple.
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