Google fined $360 Mn by Russia over Ukraine content

Google has been imposed a fine of 21 billion rubles ($360 million) by a court in Moscow for not taking down content related to Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, the telecommunications regulator of the country announced on Monday.

According to Roskomnadzor, YouTube, a Google-owned video platform failed to block "false information" on the offensive in Ukraine, "extremist and terrorist propaganda" and content "calling on minors to participate in unauthorised demonstrations".

The regulator said the fine was based on Google's annual revenue in Russia because it was a repeat conviction.

In recent years, Russian authorities have stepped up their pressure on Western social media firms to remove criticism from the Internet, one of Russia's last bastions of free speech.

Google, like most of its Western rivals, recently pulled out of the Russian market after condemning Russia's military action in Ukraine.

According to expert Vladimir Zykov, quoted by Russian news agency Ria-Novosti, it is the largest fine ever imposed by a Russian court on a Western tech firm.

He added that even if the Russian authorities impose on Google "as many fines as they wish, they won't receive the money" because the firm has pulled out of the country, AFP reported.

There was no immediate response from Google regarding the fine.

Roskomnadzor in March labelled the Google and YouTube activities as "terrorist" labels, leaving open the possibility that they would be blocked in Russia like Twitter, Instagram and many independent media outlets could be blocked in Russia after the military operation began.

The legal penalties for raising voices against the conflict have been increased. According to the new law, those convicted of spreading "false information" about the Russian military can get a prison sentence of up to 15 years. Many people have already been imprisoned in such cases.