MOSCOW: Russia’s shocking demand for a colossal payment from Google has captured global attention, as the Kremlin claims the tech giant owes over 2 undecillion rubles (a 2 followed by 36 zeroes) in fines for blocking pro-Russian YouTube channels.
This fine, translating to an astronomical $20 decillion, far exceeds the global economy’s total GDP, which the IMF estimates at around $110 trillion. By comparison, Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is valued at approximately $2 trillion.
According to Russian state agency TASS, a court had ordered Google to remove restrictions on the channels—many of which were blocked after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine—or face escalating weekly fines. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the amount as “symbolic” but condemned Google’s continued restrictions on Russian broadcasters.
In its recent earnings report, Google mentioned “ongoing legal matters” related to Russia, including these fines. However, the company does not anticipate a significant impact on its earnings from such lawsuits.
After the Ukraine invasion, Google significantly reduced its operations within Russia. Last year, Google’s Russian subsidiary filed for bankruptcy after authorities froze its bank accounts, though services like Search and YouTube remain available in the country.