FT: Russia Bans Thousands of Officials From Using iPhones to Avoid Spying

Russian authorities have banned thousands of government officials and employees from using iPhones and other Apple products, as part of a crackdown on US technology companies amid "espionage" concerns.

And the Russian Trade Ministry said, according to the Financial Times (FT), that starting Monday it will ban the use of iPhones for business purposes. While the Ministry of Digital Development and Rostec, a company subject to Western sanctions for supporting the Russian war machine in Ukraine, said they would follow the Ministry of Commerce's lead in this matter.

The ban on iPhones, iPads, and other Apple products in ministries and major institutions in Russia reflects the growing concerns of the Kremlin and the Russian Federal Security Service about espionage activities led by US intelligence agencies targeting Russian state institutions.