Russia slaps Google with 2 sextillion ruble fine – here's why

The Russian government has imposed a record-breaking antitrust fine of 2 sextillion rubles ($27.4 billion) on Google for alleged anti-competitive practices.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) announced the penalty on Tuesday, accusing the tech giant of abusing its dominant position in the online search market.

According to the FAS, Google has been using its search engine to promote its own products and services, while demoting those of competitors.

The fine is the largest ever imposed on a company in Russia, and it is more than double the previous record of 1 sextillion rubles ($13.7 billion) that was imposed on Gazprom in 2010.

Google has denied any wrongdoing and has said that it will appeal the decision.

The company has until January 2023 to pay the fine. If it fails to do so, the FAS could seize Google's assets in Russia.

The fine is a major blow to Google's business in Russia. The country is one of Google's largest markets outside of the United States.

The fine is also a sign of the growing tension between Russia and the United States over technology issues.

In recent years, the Russian government has been cracking down on foreign tech companies, accusing them of anti-competitive practices and of interfering in Russian politics.

The fine against Google is likely to further strain relations between the two countries.