The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that competent authorities in Russia have revealed yet another instance of systematic global surveillance carried out by American intelligence services against its citizens and representatives of other countries by utilizing American IT companies.

The newly uncovered facts provide further compelling evidence of what Moscow has been warning about for years: “American intelligence agencies have been using technology companies for decades to unlawfully collect vast amounts of information on internet users without their consent. Each year, proof of such illicit activities continues to emerge."

The diplomats emphasized that no state should have the right to misuse its technological capabilities, particularly concerning access to the personal data of smartphone users.

In light of this, the Russian Foreign Ministry urged all relevant parties to establish transparent and equitable regulatory mechanisms within the digital realm, which must be obligatory for all states and IT technology developers.

On the same day, Reuters reported that Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the discovery of an American espionage operation that had compromised thousands of iPhones using sophisticated surveillance software. Over a thousand Apple Inc. devices were infected, including those belonging to Russian subscribers as well as foreign diplomats residing in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

In 2013, US whistleblower Edward Snowden exposed the extensive monitoring of networks and telephone systems by US intelligence agencies.