Fed up with having Americans spying on their every move, the Russians are now going the way of North Korea, developing their very own tablet device that boasts a high level of encryption, an Android-like OS,  and a home-grown global position system.

The device, which was unveiled yesterday at the IFA in Berlin, was developed by a team at Moscow’s National Nuclear Research University, was developed in response to concerns from Russian defense chiefs that data collected by Google (as happens with all Android-powered devices) could find its way into the hands of US government officials, exposing some of their most sensitive secrets.

Dubbed the RuPad by RT News, the tablet runs on the Russian-made operating system RoMOS (Russian Mobile Operating System), which is reported to be very similar to Android but with one crucial difference – unlike Google-powered devices, the RuPad won’t be sending any data back to Google.

Andrei Starikovsky, Director of Unit Production at the university, said that he expects to see mass production of the RuPad begin by the end of the year. He revealed that two different versions of the tablet will be produced – one for the military, and one for consumers.

“The operating system has all the functional capabilities of an Android operating system but none of its hidden features that send users’ private data to Google headquarters,” Starikovsky was reported as saying.

As well as running on RoMos, the device will rely on navigation via the Russian global positioning system GLONASS, which is also supported by the Apple iPhone 4S. Other features include a 10-inch display and Wi-Fi connectivity, while the military grade version is reported to be both shock and water-proof.

The tablet, which is to be manufactured in Russia using mostly foreign-made components, will go on sale at the end of the year, priced at around $460.