Rostelecom warns of possible Google services shutdown in Russia

He shared this in an interview with RTVI, according to the Moscow Times.

“There’s a significant risk of these services being blocked in one form or another,” Khalitov said.

He specifically mentioned Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Mobile Services, which includes geolocation features and weather updates.

Khalitov emphasized that Russians need to be aware that all foreign services "could simply disappear." He reminded that Android isn't a Russian product and lacks "technological independence."

“If they choose to, services like YouTube and Android phones may turn, perhaps not into pumpkins, but our users could run into some issues,” Khalitov added.

• Video platform RuTube, the Russian equivalent of YouTube, isn’t available for download via Google Play.