The New York Times revealed that Nokia played a significant role in facilitating Russian cyberspying by providing telecommunications equipment and services linking the FSB's SORM system to MTS, Russia's largest telecom provider. Leaked documents from 2008-2017 suggest Nokia's involvement began at least by 2012, enabling Russia's primary security agency to intercept calls, emails, texts, and track internet communications. Nokia rejects claims of manufacturing or servicing SORM hardware but confirms it supplied equipment allowing network surveillance integration. The firm halted business with Russia in early March 2022 after the Ukraine invasion. This controversy follows previous accusations from 2010 about Nokia selling surveillance tech to Iran's authoritarian regime. Nokia maintains that telecommunications operators face government mandates requiring such compliance or they have to exit the markets.

The New York Times revealed that Nokia played a significant role in facilitating Russian cyberspying by providing telecommunications equipment and services linking the FSB's SORM system to MTS, Russia's largest telecom provider. Leaked documents from 2008-2017 suggest Nokia's involvement began at least by 2012, enabling Russia's primary security agency to intercept calls, emails, texts, and track internet communications. Nokia rejects claims of manufacturing or servicing SORM hardware but confirms it supplied equipment allowing network surveillance integration. The firm halted business with Russia in early March 2022 after the Ukraine invasion. This controversy follows previous accusations from 2010 about Nokia selling surveillance tech to Iran's authoritarian regime. Nokia maintains that telecommunications operators face government mandates requiring such compliance or they have to exit the markets.