Russia seizes over $100 million from Google to fund Ukraine war

The Telegraph reported.

In 2022, Russian bailiffs withdrew the funds from Google's local bank accounts, according to U.S. documents. These funds were then funneled to Russian TV channels, including the state-run RT and the propaganda outlet Tsargrad.

As a result, Google's Russian division declared bankruptcy that year, blaming the Kremlin for confiscating its assets.

Documents reveal that bailiffs took control of Google's account after a Moscow court ordered the company to pay damages to Tsargrad TV, owned by oligarch Konstantin Malofeev. Additionally, Russian courts ruled that Google must compensate RT and another broadcaster, NFPT, for removing them from YouTube and deleting their Google accounts.

Last week, Google filed lawsuits against RT, Tsargrad TV, and NFPT in U.S. and English courts.

In these filings, Google stated that Russian courts imposed unprecedented fines and arbitrary legal sanctions on Google, attempting to limit access to our services and punish us for complying with international sanctions against Russian individuals and entities.

Google is now seeking a ruling to prevent these TV channels from pursuing its assets in foreign jurisdictions like South Africa, Türkiye, and Serbia.

Bailiffs have seized more than $100 million of Google's assets in Russia, despite the court order allegedly amounting to less than $12.5 million at the time, Google's court documents state.

The publication noted that Tsargrad received one billion rubles from the seizure, funds they claim will support Russia's war in Ukraine.

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