In its latest earnings report, Google acknowledged “ongoing legal matters” related to Russian sanctions and civil judgments but stated these issues are not expected to materially affect its earnings. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Google scaled back its operations in Russia, although services like Search and YouTube continue to be accessible.
This colossal demand, reportedly equivalent to more than 2 undecillion rubles, comes as Russia seeks a staggering $20 decillion (or $20 billion trillion trillion) in penalties for Google’s refusal to pay fines tied to blocking pro-Russian YouTube channels—a figure that far surpasses the size of the global economy.
According to Russian state media, TASS, Google was previously ordered to unblock these channels, which have been restricted since 2022, with fines that double each week in cases of non-compliance. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the amount as “symbolic” but criticized Google for limiting Russian broadcasters.
This extraordinary sum dwarfs the world’s $110 trillion GDP, according to IMF estimates, and far exceeds Google’s parent company Alphabet’s approximate $2 trillion market value.