Moscow : Russia has reportedly placed a ban on its government officers using iPhones and other Apple products, following the pressure exerted by the United States, which allegedly kept a close eye on them.
According to media reports, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has called on thousands of its officials to stop using iPhones and iPads, along with other Apple products.
As per the report by Financial Times, starting from July 17, employees of Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade were banned from using iPhones for work purposes. The announcement was attributed to a source stating, “Security officers of the Ministry have declared that the iPhone has been compromised, and they are looking for alternatives.”
FSB and other Russian officials were reportedly warned that the devices could be wiretapped by the United States.
Back in March, the Kremlin had already banned officials from using Apple products, expressing concerns that Apple’s equipment could be used for US spying purposes.
Last month, the Russian government accused Apple of cooperating with American intelligence agencies. However, tech experts strongly denied these allegations. Apple has asserted that the company has never worked with any government to compromise its products or services for intelligence purposes.