
Russia fines Google “2 undecillion rubles” for blocking YouTube accounts.
A court in Moscow imposed a huge fine of 2 undecillion rubles on Google for the fact that the company refused to restore blocked accounts of Russian TV channels on YouTube. This fine exceeds any notion of large sums, as it contains 36 zeros, making it almost impossible to pay. The case involves more than 10 Russian TV channels, most of them state-owned, which have gone to court because Google continues to block their YouTube accounts. According to the Russian media, the fine was imposed because Google did not comply with the order of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) of Russia to restore access to the accounts.
Google has blocked the accounts of Russian TV channels since 2020 amid the conflict with Ukraine, and the decision to restore them has not yet been implemented: in a case that has been ongoing since 2022, Google paid part of a fine of 1 million rubles, after which it declared its Russian subsidiary bankrupt , further payments became difficult.
In addition, the court ordered restrictions on Google’s assets in other countries, including South Africa, to ensure the recovery of funds. Because the amount is astronomical for Google, the company has filed an appeal and continues to fight in court to avoid international asset forfeiture.
A fine of this amount against Google is an example of how political disputes can lead to huge fines. While the sum seems outrageously large, and the company has assured that it will not affect its global business, it is yet another attempt by Russia to put pressure on Google to make it comply with its demands.