The Kremlin asked Russian officials involved in preparations for the 2024 presidential election tor stop using Apple iPhones by the end of March, said a report by Kommersant, a local newspaper.
Russia's First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Office, Sergei Kiriyenko asked officials to ditch iPhones. (Reuters photo)
By India Today World Desk: Russian officials involved in preparations for the 2024 presidential election were asked by the Kremlin to stop using Apple iPhones by the end of March, reported the country's newspaper Kommersant on Monday. The order stems from concerns that the iPhones are vulnerable to Western intelligence agencies, said the report.
Sergei Kiriyenko, first deputy head of the presidential administration, gave the directive to officials involved in domestic politics during a seminar in Moscow earlier this month, Kommersant said, citing sources present at the meeting.
advertisement
Officials have to replace their iPhones by April 1.
ALSO READ | US, China, Russia blame each other for North Korea's missile launches during United Nations meet
They were asked to replace their iPhones with phones built on other smartphone software, such as Android, Chinese counterparts, or Aurora, an operating system developed by the Russian company Open Mobile Platform.
"It's all over for the iPhone: either throw it away or give it to the children," a person who attended the seminar told Kommersant. "Everyone will have to do it in March," he added, according to a Reuters translation of the quote.
According to Kommersant, the Kremlin might provide other devices with different operating systems to replace iPhones.
ALSO WATCH | Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow to hold talks with Russian President Putin
Shortly after Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February last year, Apple suspended the sale of its products, including the iPhone in the country. However, a few months later, reports said people in Russia were still purchasing the new iPhone 14 through legalized parallel imports programs.
When asked about the issue, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that he could not confirm the report but said, "Smartphones should not be used for official business".
ALSO READ | Travel curbs, restrictions on meeting world leaders: Here's what ICC arrest warrant mean for Russia's Putin
--- ENDS ---
"Stop" - Google News
March 21, 2023 at 10:34AM
https://ift.tt/oIHLUYv
Kremlin asks Russian officials to stop using iPhones by end of March: Report - India Today
"Stop" - Google News
https://ift.tt/Rbd1v7t
https://ift.tt/9SxLmbZ
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Kremlin asks Russian officials to stop using iPhones by end of March: Report - India Today"
Post a Comment