Russian govt officials are buying 4X more iPhones than before despite Moscow ban

Even though Moscow & the Federal Security Service or the FSB have banned Russian government employees from using iPhones and other Apple products, officials in Russia are having a really hard time giving up on Apple and its devices.

A new report has surfaced which suggests that Russian officials are still getting their hands on a range of devices from Apple, in quite large numbers. Sales of iPhones alone have soared 400 per cent in Russia, despite the restrictions imposed by Moscov, which were imposed last year.

In 2023, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) introduced the ban, supposedly over concerns that the US could use iPhones to spy on officials. However, it looks like the ban hasn’t been very effective.

According to the Russian business daily Vedomosti, government-related iPhone purchases between January and September 2024 have jumped fourfold compared to the same period last year.

While these figures are unconfirmed elsewhere, the numbers shared suggest that government agencies have spent about $71,470 on iPhones so far in 2024, compared to just $17,670 in the same months of 2023.

iPhone prices in Russia are extraordinarily steep. A base model iPhone 16 costs around $1,225 as opposed to the US price of $799

The limited volume suggests officials aren’t exactly staging a mass rebellion against the ban, but it does raise eyebrows about how strictly the rules are being enforced. The FSB’s claims about US wiretapping also seem less convincing given the steady stream of purchases.

This situation highlights the mixed signals surrounding the ban, especially since it came after Apple stopped direct operations in Russia following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

The increase in sales suggests that practical needs might be trumping political posturing — after all, it’s hard to keep government workers away from their iPhones when the allure of Apple remains as strong as ever.