Following the much-publicized leaks of secret information by the NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, Russia's Federal Guard Service has decided to revert to using typewriters to produce secret documents.
A tender to purchase 20 electric typewriters for 486,540 rubles ($15,000) was published on the government's procurement website zakupki.gov on July 3. According to the announcement, the equipment must be delivered to the special agency by Aug. 30.
The Federal Guard Service is responsible for ensuring the protection of top officials, including the president of Russia.
An unidentified source in the service told Izvestia newspaper that following reports that the NSA targeted then President Dmitry Medvedev during his visit to Britain for the Group of 20 summit in London, the agency has decided "to expand the usage of hard-copy documents."
Each of the typewriters will have its own signature, so it will be easy to trace where a particular document came from.
The revelation came as a result of a large-scale leak by Snowden, who currently finds himself stuck in extraterritorial limbo in Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport while he awaits decisions on his asylum requests to different countries. A number of Latin American countries have spoken out in support of Snowden, who is trying to escape being brought to justice in the United States.
Typewriters and cipher machines were heavily used in the 20th century with the German Enigma machine being the most famous one. Breakthroughs in code-breaking techniques significantly contributed to Allied victory in World War II.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.