No smartphones for Russian soldiers

In Russia, a bill was approved that prohibits soldiers from carrying smartphones, tablets, and other devices capable of recording and storing information during service. According to the bill passed on February 19, only regular phones without a camera and internet connection are allowed in the Russian army.
The law prohibits military personnel from sharing information about their military units, missions, services, colleagues, former colleagues, and their families online. The bill states that "information posted by military personnel on the internet or in the media can sometimes be used to form a distorted assessment of the state policy of the Russian Federation." The law was unanimously adopted.

This legislation is necessary because military personnel are "of particular interest to the intelligence services of foreign governments, terrorists, and extremist organizations," said the Duma. In recent years, photos and videos accidentally posted online by members of the Russian military have revealed information about the location and movements of its troops - for example, in operations in Syria - and equipment. Human rights activists have also sometimes been able to obtain video and photo evidence of the endangerment of young recruits in the Russian military from the internet.

The Russian Army online: eng.mil.ru