By ggablog 
Russia is demanding an astronomical sum from Google, reportedly over 2 undecillion rubles (a 2 followed by 36 zeros) due to fines now compounding after the tech giant refused to unblock pro-Russian YouTube channels.
This staggering penalty is equivalent to $20 decillion — about $20 billion trillion trillion — an amount that vastly exceeds the global economy’s size. For comparison, the world’s gross domestic product is around $110 trillion, according to the International Monetary Fund, while Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is valued at about $2 trillion.
Russian state media outlet TASS reported that a Russian court previously ordered Google to restore several YouTube channels that have been blocked since 2022. Fines have doubled weekly for noncompliance. When asked about the lawsuit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted he “can’t even pronounce” the figure but said it was “symbolic,” adding that Google should not restrict Russian broadcasters.
CNN has reached out to Google for comment. In its latest earnings report, Google referred to “ongoing legal matters” involving Russia. “Civil judgments with compounding penalties have been imposed regarding the termination of accounts, including sanctioned parties,” the company stated, but noted that it doesn’t expect these legal issues to significantly affect its earnings.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Google has reduced its operations in Russia but stopped short of a full exit, unlike other U.S. tech companies. Services such as Search and YouTube are still accessible in Russia, though Google’s Russian subsidiary filed for bankruptcy and halted most commercial operations after the government seized its bank accounts.
