A Russian court has imposed a fine on Google of two undecillion roubles—a nearly incalculable amount for any entity, equivalent to $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 in U.S. dollars.

This massive penalty is in response to Google’s restrictions on Russian state media channels on YouTube, which Russia claims began in 2020 and intensified after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Following this invasion, most Western companies left Russia, and Russian media outlets were banned in Europe, triggering retaliatory actions from Moscow.

In recent years, Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor, has repeatedly accused Google of suppressing Russian media, including RT and Sputnik, and allegedly supporting anti-government protests.

Despite Google ceasing commercial operations in Russia and declaring its local subsidiary bankrupt in 2022, its products are still partially accessible in the country.

Russian officials continue to press Google on its content restrictions; Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the unprecedented fine but urged Google to take it seriously.

This latest development underscores escalating tensions between the tech giant and Russian authorities, who enforce stringent controls on media and freedom of expression. Google has yet to respond to requests for comment.

#MaltaDaily