MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian government's purchases of iPhones for January through September were four times higher than the same period in 2023, the Vedomosti daily reported on Monday, despite certain officials being banned from using Apple devices.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said in June 2023 that it had uncovered an American espionage operation that compromised thousands of iPhones using sophisticated surveillance software, an allegation Apple denied.

The Kommersant newspaper last year reported that the Kremlin had told officials involved in preparations for Russia's 2024 presidential election to stop using iPhones because of concerns the devices are vulnerable to Western intelligence agencies.

Vedomosti, citing an unnamed representative of the Tenderplan trading platform, said the value of contracts involving iPhones for the first three quarters of the year amounted to 6.9 million roubles ($71,469), up from 1.6 million roubles the year before.

Reuters could not independently verify the data. Russia's digital ministry last year banned employees from using iPhones and iPads for work emails and applications. The ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The latest iPhone 16 is on sale and in high demand in Russia, despite Apple halting exports to Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.

Unfazed by higher prices and using so-called grey or parallel imports that Russia legalised to enable the import of goods without the brand owners' permission, Russians have been keen to get their hands on Apple's devices.

($1 = 96.5455 roubles)