“An Unpronounceable Number”: Russia Fines Google an Astronomical Amount

2nd November 2024

2 minutes read

"An Unpronounceable Number": Russia Fines Google an Astronomical Amount

Continuing its battle with Google, one of the largest tech companies in the world, Russia is seeking an astronomical amount. Reports indicate that the global company owes the Kremlin more than 2 followed by 36 zeros, after refusing to pay fines for blocking pro-Russian channels on YouTube.

The penalty, practically unpronounceable, stands at 20 decillion dollars — or about 20 billion trillion trillion dollars, dwarfing the scale of the global economy, according to CNN.

When asked about the lawsuit in a call with journalists on Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov admitted he “could not even pronounce the number correctly,” but called the staggering amount “symbolic.” He added that Google “should not restrict the actions of our broadcasters on its platform.”

At a global GDP of around 110 trillion dollars, according to the International Monetary Fund, this figure appears modest by comparison. Meanwhile, Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has a market valuation of around 2 trillion dollars.

This week, the Russian state news agency TASS reported that a Russian court ordered Google to restore YouTube channels or face escalating charges. An attorney involved in the case told TASS that if the fine is not paid within nine months, it will double every day.

TASS stated, “Google can only return to the Russian market if it complies with the court’s decision.”

In its quarterly earnings report released this week, Google referred to “ongoing legal issues” concerning its operations in Russia.

Following Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, Google scaled back its operations in the country, although it did not completely withdraw, unlike many other U.S. tech companies. Many of its services, including search and YouTube, remain available in Russia.

Months after the invasion, Google’s Russian subsidiary declared bankruptcy, temporarily halting most of its business operations after the government seized its bank accounts.