Moscow, Aug 12: Russia's ministry of digital development has banned employees from using Apple (AAPL.O) iPhones and iPads for work purposes, Interfax news agency reported on Friday citing the minister, Maksut Shadaev.

 

Minister Maksut Shadaev reportedly said that the ban will be enforced on usage of Apple devices for accessing work applications and email exchanges, however, the employees will be allowed to use Apple iPhones and iPads for personal use.

 

 

 

"A ban is imposed on using (Apple) mobile devices - smartphones and tablets - to access work applications and work email exchange," he told reporters at a digital conference, the agency said.

 

"It's allowed to use iPhones for personal needs," Shadaev said.

 

This comes in the backdrop against the claims made by the Russian main domestic security service, the FSB, that several thousands Apple devices were compromised as a result of an espionage operation by the U.S. read more

 

 

The FSB asserted that several thousand iPhones, including those with Russian SIM cards and those registered to Moscow diplomatic missions in NATO nations, Israel, Syria, and China, were “infected” with monitoring software that suggested Apple’s “close cooperation” with the US National Security Agency.

 

In response to the alleged US espionage endeavour, the Russian Ministry of Trade told its workers not to use Apple iPhones for work reasons in July. The trade ministry had stated then that the usage of iPhones for “work purposes” will be prohibited.

 

It was reported in March of this year that the Kremlin had instructed officials engaged in the preparations for Russia’s presidential election in 2024 to refrain from using iPhones. The officials were told to switch phones by April 1st. The Russian authorities, it was alleged, would offer alternative devices with various operating systems to replace the iPhones, and the order to stop using Apple phones was geared at people involved in internal politics.