Communication security

Putin bans Russian military from carrying phones, other electronic devices, report says

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Wednesday prohibiting members of Russia's armed forces from carrying smartphones and other electronic devices in an effort to prevent the exposure of military operations.

Officials said the move was necessary to prevent sensitive information from getting into the hands of foreign intelligence services, Radio Free Europe reported. Russian military service members have been warned in the past about sharing information online and on their social media posts.

The decree bans devices that can track locations and transmit audio recordings and photos.

"The violation of the regulation will be considered a gross disciplinary offense," the decree said, according to the outlet.

A similar law bans Russian military personnel from carrying devices that can connect to the Internet.