Russia’s telecoms security push hits snag – it needs foreign help

A portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on a cover of a woman's phone as she takes pictures during celebrations of the Russian national holiday - Defender of the Fatherland Day in Sevastopol, Crimea, February 23, 2016. REUTERS/Pavel Rebrov/Files

MOSCOW: Russian telecoms operators will have to use foreign technology to comply with a law on storing data, two industry sources with knowledge of the matter said, even though Vladimir Putin told his government to ensure local companies produced the equipment.

The law requires operators to store the content of users' phone calls and text messages for six months to aid the security services. President Putin wanted home-grown technology to be used to perform the task, to boost the domestic tech industry and make telecoms systems less dependent on Western equipment.