The Kremlin informed officers concerned in preparations for Russia’s 2024 presidential election to cease utilizing Apple iPhones due to issues that the units are weak to Western intelligence companies, the Kommersant newspaper reported.
At a Kremlin-organised seminar for officers concerned in home politics, Sergei Kiriyenko, first deputy head of the presidential administration, informed officers to alter their telephones by April 1, Kommersant stated, citing unidentified sources.
“It is throughout for the iPhone: both throw it away or give it to the youngsters,” Kommersant quoted one of many individuals of the assembly as saying. “Everybody should do it in March.”
When requested concerning the challenge on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated he couldn’t verify the report.
“Smartphones shouldn’t be used for official enterprise,” Peskov informed reporters. “Any smartphone has a reasonably clear mechanism, it doesn’t matter what working system it has – Android or iOS. Naturally, they aren’t used for official functions.”
Apple didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The Kremlin might present different units with totally different working techniques to switch the iPhones, Kommersant stated, including that the order to stop utilizing iPhones had been directed at these concerned in home politics – for which Kiriyenko is accountable.
President Vladimir Putin has all the time stated he has no smartphone, although Peskov has stated Putin does use the Web every so often.
Shortly after Russia despatched its troops into Ukraine final yr, U.S. and British spies claimed a scoop by uncovering – and going public with – intelligence that Putin was planning to invade. It’s unclear how the spies obtained such intelligence.
