A Russian court has imposed an extraordinary fine on Google, totaling two undecillion roubles—a figure represented as a two followed by 36 zeros—for limiting access to Russian state media channels on YouTube.
Converted to dollars, this astronomical amount equates to $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, which far surpasses Google’s market value of around $2 trillion and even dwarfs the global GDP, estimated at $110 trillion by the International Monetary Fund.
According to state news agency Tass, the fine has grown to such an unprecedented sum because it doubles daily until payment is made.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged, “I cannot even pronounce this number,” while urging Google to “pay attention” to the matter.
The tech company has not responded publicly nor to BBC’s request for comment.
The fine is reportedly linked to Google’s restrictions on 17 Russian media channels on YouTube, initially beginning in 2020 and intensifying following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
This period saw most Western companies exiting Russia and facing new sanctions that restrict operations in the country, as well as a European ban on Russian media, which triggered Moscow’s retaliation.
This fine marks the latest development in an ongoing clash between Russia and the US tech company.
In May 2021, Russia’s media watchdog, Roskomnadzor, accused Google of blocking access to Russian media, including RT and Sputnik, and promoting “illegal protest activity.”
The following year, in July 2022, Russia fined Google 21.1 billion roubles (£301 million) for not limiting access to “prohibited” content related to the Ukraine conflict.
In Russia, freedom of the press remains heavily restricted, with independent outlets and freedom of expression significantly curtailed.
Source-BBC
