Google/Alphabet has accumulated fines in Russia amounting to approximately 2 sextillion rubles, equating to about 2.3 quintrillion euros, a sum far exceeding the total money available globally. This situation stems from a 2020 court ruling mandating daily fines of 100,000 rubles for the company’s failure to comply with the unblocking of Russian YouTube channels linked to individuals sanctioned by the U.S. The fines continue to double weekly, with ongoing legal disputes as Google remains unyielding in its stance.
According to the independent Russian news outlet Moscow Times, the American tech giant Google/Alphabet has accumulated fines in Russia totaling approximately 2 sextillion rubles. This amounts to around 2.3 quintillion euros, which is an astronomical figure exceeding all the money that exists globally. Even if Google were to accept the penalties, they would never be able to pay such a sum.
This bizarre situation arose when Russian courts imposed a daily fine of 100,000 rubles on the company in 2020. If the fine is not paid, it doubles every week. This mechanism has led to exponential growth over the past four years, continuing on a weekly basis. The disputes stem from blocked Russian YouTube channels.
Russian News Channels Sued Google
YouTube, a subsidiary of Google, has blocked several Russian channels associated with individuals targeted by U.S. sanctions. The channel closures began back in 2020 following the annexation of Crimea, and additional channels were suspended after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Both state broadcasters like RT and Sputnik, as well as other media outlets, had their videos removed from YouTube.
The operators of these channels initiated lawsuits in Russian courts and received favorable rulings. However, Google continues to maintain the blocks and refuses to comply with the fines. In the summer of 2022, Russian authorities seized the bank accounts of Google Russia, leading to the subsidiary’s bankruptcy. The parent company in the U.S. has not commented on the situation. While YouTube remains accessible in Russia, significant restrictions regarding availability and speed have been in place since August 2024.
Google seems unlikely to make any payments. The company argues that it was acting in accordance with official U.S. sanctions against Russia regarding the YouTube suspensions. Google has filed counterclaims in the U.S. and the UK. If the fines continue to double, they may soon reach a figure known as ‘Googol,’ represented by a 1 followed by 100 zeros, which inspired the name of the tech giant.
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