Previously, in March 2022, Google stopped advertising services in Russia and temporarily suspended contentraising profits related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Since then, Google has blocked more than 1,000 YouTube channels, including the Russian government-funded news channel, and more than 5.5 million videos.
In 2022, Tsargrad TV filed a lawsuit against Google in Russia. In 2024, state media agency RT also took a similar move.
In October 2024, a court in Russia ruled to fine Google billions of rubles for blocking the country's TV channels on YouTube. The fine will increase daily until the fine is paid in full.
Mr. Andrew Henshaw - a judge of the High Court of London has issued a verdict allowing Google to be permanently exempted from enforcement on the grounds that Google and YouTube's terms and conditions require the disputes to be resolved in a UK court.
At a hearing in November 2024, lawyers representing Google said that the fine for the ruble-based branch of Google in Russia alone had reached 36-digit zero.