Introduction

The Russian Ministry of Digital Development has decided to ban its employees from using iPhones and iPads for business purposes, the Interfax news agency reported on Friday.

“A ban has been introduced on the use of mobile devices (manufactured by Apple) – smartphones and tablets – to access work applications and exchange work e-mail,” the agency quotes Minister Maksut Chaadaev at a conference.

Ban on Business Use

“It is allowed to use iPhones for personal purposes,” the Russian minister added.

The ministry introduced the ban two months after Russia’s internal security service said several thousand Apple devices were hacked as a result of US spying, which the company denies.

The U.S. National Security Agency, which Russian security officials said worked with Apple, declined to comment on the allegations at the time.