Kremlin First Deputy Chief of Staff, former Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko.

(Reuters file photo)

[Compiled Sun Yuqing/Comprehensive Report] "Reuters" quoted Russia's "Kommersant" on the 20th as saying that the Kremlin asked officials preparing for Russia's 2024 presidential election to "stop using iPhones" to avoid being used by Western intelligence agencies.

"Business Daily" quoted people familiar with the matter as pointing out that Sergei Kiriyenko, the Kremlin's first deputy chief of staff and former Prime Minister, asked participating officials to change their mobile phones before April 1 at a seminar on domestic political affairs. Use the iPhone, throw it away or give it to the kids, everyone has to get this done in March."

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he could not confirm the report, but emphasized that "smartphones cannot be used for official business." "Any smartphone has a fairly transparent mechanism, regardless of the operating system, Android or iOS. Certainly not for official purposes."

The Business Daily also claimed that the Kremlin may provide mobile devices with other operating systems to replace the iPhone.

President Vladimir Putin has always said that he does not use a smartphone.

Peskov said Putin occasionally went online.