Russia fines Google ‘more than all the money in the world’
In an unprecedented penalty, a Russian court has fined Google an astronomical two undecillion roubles — a sum with 36 zeros, equal to $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. The fine, imposed for Google’s restriction of Russian state media on YouTube, far exceeds the company’s $2 trillion valuation and even the total global GDP, estimated at $110 trillion.
State news agency Tass reported that the penalty doubles every day it remains unpaid, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledging, “I cannot even pronounce this number,” and urging Google executives to “pay attention.”
The conflict traces back to content restrictions Google imposed in 2020, escalating sharply after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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As Western companies exited the Russian market and sanctions tightened, Russian media outlets were banned in Europe, leading Moscow to retaliate with fines and restrictions on U.S. tech firms.
This monumental fine follows previous actions against Google, including a 21.1 billion rouble penalty in 2022.
The standoff highlights Russia’s intensified efforts to control media narratives and underscores its strict stance on press freedom, with independent outlets facing severe limitations.
Google has yet to respond to the ruling as global observers monitor the latest clash between Silicon Valley and Russian authorities.
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