Kremlin Security Agency to Buy Typewriters to Avoid Leaks
July 13th, 2013Is this real?
As a fan of Meanwhile in Russia, nothing would surprise me.
Via: BBC:
Russia’s agency responsible for the Kremlin security is buying typewriters – a move reportedly prompted by recent leaks by WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden.
A 486,540-rouble (£9,860) order for electric typewriters has been placed by the FSO agency on the state procurement website.
The FSO has not commented on why it needs the old-fashioned devices.
But an agency source told Russia’s Izvestiya newspaper the aim was to prevent leaks from computer hardware.
“After scandals with the distribution of secret documents by WikiLeaks, the exposes by Edward Snowden, reports about Dmitry Medvedev being bugged during his visit to the G20 London summit (in 2009), it has been decided to expand the practice of creating paper documents,” the source said.
The source added that typewriters were already being used at Russia’s defence and emergencies ministries for drafts and secret notes, and some reports had been prepared for President Vladimir Putin by typewriter.
Unlike printers, every typewriter had its own individual typing pattern which made it possible to link every document to a particular machine, Izvestiya said.
Just been looking at the ‘Meanwhile in Russia’ clips. ‘Dance of Concrete Slabs’ reminded me of a story from a friend who lived in St Petersburg for several years. She said there were hot water pipes throughout the city, some of which leaked causing sinkholes to open up. The mud in these things was boiling hot. One opened up under some poor kid. His dad fared no better when he tried to save him.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1ba_1373489453
Don’t forget to burn the ribbon!