A Russian court has fined Google 3.8 million roubles ($41,530) for hosting YouTube videos that provided instructions on how Russian soldiers could surrender, according to a report by Russia’s TASS news agency.
For years, Russian authorities have pressured foreign tech companies to remove content they consider illegal, including what they call “fake” information about the war in Ukraine. When companies fail to comply, Russia imposes repeated fines, though the amounts are relatively small.
Google has yet to respond to requests for comment regarding the penalty. Meanwhile, critics argue that Russian authorities deliberately slow down YouTube’s download speeds to restrict access to content critical of President Vladimir Putin and his government. However, Russia denies this, instead blaming Google for failing to upgrade its infrastructure—a claim disputed by both the company and technology experts.
