Russian President Vladimir Putin is on a two-day visit to India, a visit considered significant for both nations. Putin is one of the very few global leaders who completely avoids using smartphones. For many people, it may be surprising that someone as influential as Putin does not own a phone, especially when leaders like former US President Donald Trump have openly used personal devices, including an iPhone.

So why does Putin stay away from smartphones? According to AFP, the Russian president, who constantly faces high-level security risks, does not carry or use a smartphone at all.

Revealed in 2018
In 2018, during a meeting with scientists, Mikhail Kovalchuk, head of the Kurchatov Nuclear Research Institute, remarked that everyone has a smartphone these days. Putin immediately responded by saying, “You said everyone has a smartphone, but I don’t have one.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later confirmed in an interview with a Russian news channel, “As far as I know, Putin doesn’t have a phone.” He added that smartphones pose a major threat to privacy and security, especially for high-profile leaders.

Phones are banned in the Kremlin
Putin once told the Russian news agency TASS that mobile phones are completely banned inside the Kremlin, which serves as both the main government headquarters and his official residence. He said he does not use a smartphone at all. When he needs to communicate, he uses the official secure phone line.

Putin’s distrust of the internet
While speaking to schoolchildren in 2017, Putin said he rarely uses the internet. He has previously criticised the internet as a “special CIA project.” Over the years, he has made it clear that he avoids mobile phones because he does not trust devices connected to the internet, primarily due to security concerns.