– … Western newspapers say Russia will start using typewriters to stop computer leaks. Russian newspapers say this is not true. Western media says the Kremlin wants to keep its secrets by using the old-fashioned machines. The BBC said Russia's intelligence service (FSO) bought the typewriters because of WikiLeaks and leaks by former U.S. intelligence worker Edward Snowden. The FSO told Russia's press that these scandals, plus reports that Russia's Prime Minister was spied on at the G20 summit in London, means it has "decided to expand the practice of creating paper documents".

The Kremlin said it bought 20 typewriters for $14,800. The FSO stated that the purchase "has been planned for more than a year" and that it was not because of WikiLeaks or Mr Snowden. The FSO told Russia's RT news agency that it has always used typewriters. It added that it was simply time to buy new ones because the old equipment was out of date. An official said: "It's not something unusual.…The time came to change them. All the special services use them." A post on the RT website stated that: "A $5 padlock is often more effective than a $24,000 surveillance system".