Google hit with staggering 2.5 decillion dollar fine in Russia

The fines, reaching 2 trillion rubles, equivalent to 2.5 trillion dollars, stem from Google's refusal to reinstate pro-Kremlin media accounts on YouTube. According to RBC, the penalties began accumulating in 2020, when media outlets like Tsargrad and RIA FAN won lawsuits against Google, as reported by the themoscowtimes portal.

Seventeen Russian television channels, including the state-owned Channel One and the military channel Zvezda, have filed lawsuits against Google. YouTube, owned by Google, blocked these media outlets due to their support for the invasion of Ukraine. In response, Moscow imposed fines but did not block the service.

Google's Russian branch declared bankruptcy in the summer of 2022 and was formally recognized as bankrupt in the fall of the same year. Alphabet Inc., Google's owner, had earlier halted advertising in Russia to comply with Western sanctions related to the war in Ukraine, as reported by the themoscowtimes portal.

Several factors contributed to Google's decision. In December 2021, a court imposed a turnover fine of 7.2 billion rubles (approximately 130 million dollars) on Google's Russian branch for failing to comply with an order from the Russian state media regulator Roskomnadzor, which required the company to remove certain content.

Two years ago, in May, court bailiffs initiated proceedings to enforce the fine. In 2022, the court twice seized assets from Google's Russian branch, totaling 500 million rubles (approximately 9 million dollars), to secure funds in cases brought by state-owned television channels NTV and TNT, as reported by Meduza.

In May 2022, the company's account was seized, making it "impossible for our Russian office to operate, including maintaining employment and paying salaries, paying suppliers and subcontractors, and fulfilling other financial obligations."