BBS:      TELESC.NET.BR
Assunto:  Russia fines Google 22.8 million rubles
De:       Mike Powell
Data:     Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:06:03 -0500
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Russia fines Google 22.8 million rubles for promoting VPNs on the Play Store

By Chiara Castro published 3 hours ago

Roskomnadzor claims Google failed to act on orders to remove ads for
circumvention tools.

    Russia fined Google 22.8 million rubles for promoting VPNs on Google Play
    Roskomnadzor said the Big Tech giant has ignored removal orders
    VPN access is now a necessity for millions in Russia

A Russian court has fined Google 22.8 million rubles (approximately $298,000)
for allegedly promoting VPN services via its app store.

According to the state-run news agency TASS, Moscow's Tagansky District Court
found Google guilty of failing to restrict access to VPN applications on the
Google Play Store. Reports indicate that no Google representatives were present
at the hearing.

The regulator, Roskomnadzor, presented evidence regarding six specific
advertisements that encouraged users to download VPNs. The agency claims Google
ignored previous orders to remove the content.

TechRadar has contacted Google for comment.

Roskomnadzor's fine against Google - what we know

The fine likely stems from law introduced in March 2024, which prohibits the
distribution of information regarding tools used to bypass state internet
restrictions.

Since the law's introduction, Russian authorities have frequently pressured
Western tech companies to delist VPN services from their respective app stores.
Since July 2024, Apple has removed at least 60 VPN applications following
requests from Roskomnadzor. These removals included the popular Amnezia VPN as
well as some of the best VPNs on the available globally. Data from 2025
suggests that nearly 100 VPN apps are now unavailable on the Russian version of
the App Store.

In contrast, Google has historically been more resistant to these blocking
requests.

This latest penalty signals an escalation in Russia's campaign against VPNs.
Alongside legal action, the government has invested 2.27 billion rubles
(roughly $29 million) into developing an AI-driven traffic filtering system to
automate the detection and blocking of VPN protocols.

The crackdown coincides with broader restrictions on platforms such as
Telegram, WhatsApp, and YouTube. As the Kremlin tightens its control over the
domestic digital space, VPNs remain a vital - though increasingly threatened
-, resource for Russian citizens seeking to maintain access to the global
internet.


https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/russia-fines-google-22-8-mil
lion-rubles-for-promoting-vpns-on-the-play-store

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