In an extraordinary escalation, a Russian court has imposed an astronomical fine on Google, charging the tech giant two undecillion roubles – a figure with a two followed by 36 zeroes. This sum, which dwarfs Google’s $2 trillion valuation and surpasses the entire world’s estimated $110 trillion GDP, has attracted global attention. Russia’s state news agency Tass reported that Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the nearly unpronounceable figure but urged Google to “pay attention.”

The fine stems from Google’s restriction of Russian state media content on YouTube, including 17 government-backed channels, a restriction that began in 2020 and intensified following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. As Western nations imposed sanctions and cut business ties with Russia, Moscow responded with retaliatory measures against foreign companies, including fines and restrictions aimed at Western tech firms that it claims restrict Russian media access. Google halted its commercial services in Russia and declared its local subsidiary bankrupt in 2022, though certain products remain accessible within the country.

Since 2021, the Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor has accused Google of supporting “illegal protest activity” and obstructing access to Russian state media channels like RT and Sputnik. A similar clash occurred in July 2022, when Russia fined Google 21.1 billion roubles (approximately $301 million) for failing to censor “prohibited” content related to the war in Ukraine and other sensitive subjects.

Russia’s astronomical fine, reportedly increasing with time, highlights the intense standoff between the Kremlin and Western tech firms over control of online information. Google has not issued a response to the latest ruling. As diplomatic tensions between Russia and tech companies continue to escalate, this financial move underscores the lengths Moscow is willing to go to in countering perceived censorship from Western platforms, especially in a landscape where control over media is tightly interwoven with political influence.