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Following Google’s refusal to comply with Russian court rulings and pay fines for blocking pro-Russian channels on YouTube, the Kremlin has made an incredible demand of one of the world’s largest tech giants. According to information published by Russian state media, Google allegedly owes Russia an astronomical sum of more than 2 undecillion rubles. This number, which contains 36 zeros, is equivalent to 20 decades of US dollars, which is an order of magnitude higher than the entire global gross domestic product. This was reported by TimeUkraineIsrael with reference to CNN.
At the same time, this amount seems fantastic, as the global economy is estimated at $110 trillion, and the market value of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is only about $2 trillion. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, although this amount is symbolic and extremely difficult to understand, it is intended to show Google that the company has no right to restrict the activities of Russian media on its platform.
Fines are growing like a snowball
After a Russian court ordered Google to restore access to several pro-Russian YouTube channels blocked since 2022, the company is facing more lawsuits and fines, which are doubling every week. These actions are part of a campaign aimed at increasing pressure on international technology companies that refuse to follow the Kremlin’s instructions.
Peskov noted that he was not even able to pronounce this huge figure correctly, but stressed that it has a symbolic meaning for the Kremlin. According to him, Google has no right to continue “restricting access to content that is important for Russian broadcasters”.
Refusal to cooperate and legal consequences
In response to the numerous legal issues raised by the lawsuits filed by Russian authorities, Google said that the company does not expect a significant impact on its revenues due to these lawsuits. In its quarterly reports released this week, Google mentioned “ongoing legal matters” related to its operations in Russia.
“We are facing numerous civil lawsuits related to blocked accounts, including accounts subject to international sanctions,” the company said in a statement. At the same time, Google assures that these lawsuits will not seriously harm the company’s financial results.
Implications for Google in Russia
Although Google significantly reduced its activities in the Russian market after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the company did not pull out completely, as some other US tech giants have done. Many of its services, including its popular YouTube and search engine, remain available in Russia, although Google suffered significant losses after the Russian government seized control of the company’s accounts in the country.
A few months after the invasion, Google’s subsidiary in Russia declared bankruptcy and suspended most of its commercial operations, a clear example of how technology companies are under pressure from political and economic circumstances in the countries where they do business.
Prospects for Google in Russia
Despite the seizure of assets and repeated legal disputes with the Russian authorities, Google continues to operate in Russia, which raises questions about the prospects of international technology companies in the face of escalating geopolitical tensions. The Kremlin’s further actions are likely to determine not only Google’s future in Russia, but also the strategies of other large corporations that maintain their presence in this market.
