Russia Issues Google with ‘Unpayable’ Fine for Media Restrictions

A Russian court has imposed a staggering fine on Google amounting to two undecillion roubles—equivalent to $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 USD—for limiting Russian state media channels on YouTube. This unprecedented sum vastly exceeds Google’s valuation of around $2 trillion and even surpasses the global GDP, estimated at $110 trillion by the IMF.

The fine reportedly grows exponentially, doubling daily for each day it remains unpaid, according to the state news agency Tass. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented, admitting he “cannot even pronounce this number,” but urged Google’s leadership to take heed of Russia’s demands.

The fine relates to Google’s restriction of 17 Russian media channels on YouTube, which began in 2020 and intensified following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Western companies, including Google, scaled back operations in Russia amid tightened sanctions and European bans on Russian media, prompting reciprocal actions from Moscow.

Google has not issued a public statement on the matter, and the company has yet to respond to media requests for comment. This immense penalty marks a significant new phase in the ongoing tensions between Russia and the U.S.-based tech giant.