“iPhone is everything”
According to Kommersant, the presidential administration considered a shift away from iPhones, advising officials to switch to smartphones running different operating systems by April. The goal was to simplify the transition away from American technology by equipping staff with new secure devices, the outlet reported.
The publication notes that this guidance was communicated during a seminar in the Moscow region in early March, with similar recommendations expected to reach regional officials involved in domestic politics.
“The iPhone is everything. Either discard it or pass it to family members. Everyone will be required to do this in March,” a seminar attendee told Kommersant.
Another source indicated that participants in the meeting initially debated the necessity of the measure, but Sergei Kiriyenko, the first deputy head of the presidential administration, ultimately settled the matter.
The editorial describes a dedicated internal political bloc within the presidential administration, tasked with replacing devices. This bloc comprises four departments: domestic policy, public projects, provision of the Council of State activities, and the development of information and communication technologies and communication infrastructure. Officials from the first three departments are expected to be involved in the 2024 presidential campaign.
Sources explained that the switch away from iPhones was driven by security concerns. They argued that American smartphones are more susceptible to hacking and spying by Western analysts.
One source noted that officials were advised to acquire devices running the Russian Aurora operating system, Android, or other Chinese platforms.
The Kommersant authors recalled that Aurora aims to create a sovereign mobile ecosystem in Russia, one that relies on technologies independent of Western IT giants.
“For security reasons”
Kirill Menshov, vice president of information technology at Rostelecom, remarked in a recent interview that Aurora supports sovereign technological autonomy by delivering a secure mobile environment and meeting regulatory standards for national security and information protection. He added that devices with this OS are intended for corporate and government clients only.
The publication notes that last year Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko told Maksut Shadayev, head of the Ministry of Digital Development, that federal officials should rely on domestic instant messaging tools. It was also suggested that the native Trueconf platform be used instead of Zoom for official communications.
Natalya Kaspersky, head of the Infowatch group and leader of the Native Software association, argued that expanding the number of Russians on a given device reduces the chance that information will reach hostile states.
She added that while neither option fully guarantees protection against leaks, modern smartphones function as spy devices by collecting and transmitting data. The origin of all transmissions can be difficult to trace, and users often cannot track where data is going.
Political scientist Nikolai Mironov suggested that the iPhone restriction for presidential staff reflects security considerations rather than political motives, framing it as a pragmatic measure. Another political analyst, Vladimir Shemyakin, noted the importance of maintaining reliable internet access, instant messaging, and social networks when adopting a secure device, while acknowledging that such devices may have limited functionality.
iPhone in the Federation Council and State Duma
Vladimir Dzhabarov, first deputy chairman of the international committee in the Federation Council, told RIA Novosti that senators have not yet been advised to abandon the iPhone. He did, however, express willingness to switch to other manufacturers if necessary. He also mentioned that phones are often handed over before significant meetings in the Federation Council.
Yevgeny Popov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications, told socialbites.ca that he had not heard about any instructions for presidential administration employees to discard the iPhone. He noted that he uses both Android and iPhone without issue. He added that Russian systems remain imperfect and that no formal directive had been issued yet, leaving room for developments in this area.