Russians are advised to gradually stop using Apple products
Andrei Svintsov, deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma’s Committee on Information Policy, called on Russians to stop buying Apple products. According to him, the company allegedly has the ability to remotely lock devices, and buyers risk being left with an expensive “brick” of a gadget.
Russian lawmaker Andrei Svintsov stated that Russian citizens should be more cautious about purchasing Apple products. He explained his position by citing the possibility of new restrictions against Russia and the risk that the American company might restrict the functionality of its devices. According to the lawmaker, buying an expensive smartphone that could allegedly be remotely blocked is too risky. “Of course, I consider it unwise to pay a huge amount of money for a gadget that Apple could turn into a brick at any moment. It’s simply risky, and you could lose your money,” Svintsov said.
He also accused Western companies of allegedly regularly creating problems for Russian users. “We see how many Western services—and above all American ones—are constantly pulling some dirty tricks and nasty stunts on our citizens,” the lawmaker said. Svintsov linked this to the new sanctions against Russia. In his opinion, users should consider the political risks even before purchasing technology.
Russians Are Advised to Look for Alternatives to Apple
The lawmaker suggested that Russians gradually switch to other devices. Svintsov did not specify which manufacturers, in his opinion, should serve as alternatives to Apple. He urged people to choose “more versatile devices” that are not dependent on decisions made by American companies. “Therefore, of course, I would like to recommend that our citizens exercise caution when buying Apple devices, because they can simply be remotely locked. It seems to me that it is time for our citizens to switch to more versatile devices,” he said.
Svintsov added that, in his opinion, Russians should gradually phase out Apple products. At the same time, in his statement, the lawmaker did not provide any concrete evidence that Apple is preparing to remotely lock iPhones in Russia. This is specifically his speculation regarding a possible course of events.
Apple has officially withdrawn from the Russian market
Apple halted official sales of its products in Russia after the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The company has also restricted certain services, including Apple Pay. Despite this, Apple products continue to enter the Russian market. New iPhones are sold through parallel imports, as well as through private companies and retailers.
Therefore, Apple has not managed to completely disappear from the Russian market. Russians can still purchase new smartphone models and other devices from the company, although there is no official support in the usual format. Against this backdrop, discussions periodically arise in Russia about how safe it is to use devices from American companies. Earlier, the State Duma had already debated whether iPhones could turn into so-called “bricks” due to Apple’s restrictions.
Russia Demands Installation of Local Services
A separate conflict between the Russian authorities and Apple has arisen over software requirements for smartphones. Starting September 1, 2025, Russia will require certain Russian apps to be pre-installed on devices. Specifically, this includes the state-run app store RuStore and the Russian messaging app Max.
Apple refused to comply with these requirements. As a result, Russian authorities began pressuring the company and demanding compliance with local regulations. In August 2026, the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Russian Federation opened a case against Apple. Previously, the agency had already demanded that the company eliminate so-called “discriminatory conditions” for Russian search engines and comply with the requirements regarding the pre-installation of Russian software.
Thus, the dispute between Apple and the Russian authorities is not limited to sanctions or the operation of specific services. Russian officials want the American company to comply with local requirements for software on its devices.
Can iPhones Really Be Remotely Blocked?
The very possibility of blocking iPhones became Svintsov’s main argument. However, his words do not mean that Apple has already decided to mass-block Russians’ smartphones. The lawmaker is referring to a potential risk in the future. There has been no announcement from Apple that the company plans to remotely render all iPhones in Russia inoperable.
At the same time, restrictions on certain services have already occurred. Furthermore, the Russian market relies on parallel imports, as Apple does not conduct official sales there. Against this backdrop, Russian officials are increasingly speaking about the need to switch to other smartphones and services.
For now, iPhones continue to be sold in Russia, and new models are arriving through alternative supply channels. However, statements by State Duma representatives indicate that Russian authorities are trying to persuade citizens to abandon American technology in favor of Russian or other alternatives. Svintsov discussed this in a comment to the Russian publication “Gazeta.Ru.”
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