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WSJ: Russia fines Google for failing to remove content discrediting armed forces

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Russian court fined Google for “refusing to take down material it described as promoting same-sex relationships and discrediting the country’s armed forces,” The Wall Street Journal reported on May 11.

A Moscow court imposed a penalty of 3 million rubles (equivalent to $39,000) on the company in attempts to prevent dissemination of information it deems unfavorable for the state messaging.

This fine is not the first Kremlin attempt to control Google’s services in the country through imposing penalties. Prior to the full-scale invasion, the company faced a fine of 7.2 billion rubles ($92.6 million) in December 2021, the article reported.

The previous fine forced the Russian subsidiary of Alphabet's Google to file for bankruptcy, according to Reuters.

Since the full-scale invasion, Google used its resources to support Ukraine. At the end of last year, the company allocated a $2 million grant to train Ukrainians in digital literacy and shared its tools to help Ukrainian authorities increase their efficiency.

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The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

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Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, war has become a daily reality for thousands of Ukrainian children. Some Ukrainian military units, such as the Azov Brigade, offer boot camps for teenagers to teach them the basics of self-defense, first aid, dry firing, and other survival skills — helping them prepare for both the realities of today and the uncertainties of the future.

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