---
title: "Russia fines Google for YouTube clip telling Russian troops how to surrender, TASS says"
description: "MOSCOW, Feb 17 (Reuters) - A Russian court has fined Alphabet's GOOGL.O Google 3.8 million roubles ($41,530) for hosting content on YouTube that included videos instructing Russian soldiers how to surrender, Russia's TASS news agency reported on Monday."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Ukraine war"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-17-russia-fines-google-for-youtube-clip-telling-russian-troops-how-to-surrender-tass-says/"
published: "2025-02-17T13:29:29"
updated: "2025-02-17T13:29:31"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 129
---

# Russia fines Google for YouTube clip telling Russian troops how to surrender, TASS says

> MOSCOW, Feb 17 (Reuters) - A Russian court has fined Alphabet's GOOGL.O Google 3.8 million roubles ($41,530) for hosting content on YouTube that included videos instructing Russian soldiers how to surrender, Russia's TASS news agency reported on Monday.

By Reuters · Published 17 February 2025, 15:29 SAST · Updated 17 February 2025, 15:29 SAST

## Key points
- In a high-stakes game of digital cat-and-mouse, Russia insists that its buffering YouTube woes are merely a tech issue, while critics suggest it's a calculated ploy to keep pesky dissenting voices from reaching the masses—all under the watchful eye of a president who sees Google as the West's digital puppet.
- Russia continues to pressure foreign tech platforms like Google to remove content it labels as illegal, particularly regarding the Ukraine war.
- Critics allege the Russian government is intentionally slowing YouTube to limit access to dissenting views on Putin's regime.
- Russia counters these claims, attributing the issues to Google's alleged failure to upgrade its infrastructure.
- In December, Putin accused Google of serving U.S. political interests, highlighting ongoing tensions between the Kremlin and foreign tech companies.

## Content

Russia has for several years ordered foreign technology platforms to remove content it deems illegal, such as what it calls "fakes" about the war in Ukraine, issuing small but persistent fines when it sees failures to comply.

Google did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Critics accuse the Russian authorities of deliberately disrupting YouTube's download speeds to prevent Russians from viewing content on it which is critivcal of President Vladimir Putin and his government.

Russia denies that, saying the issues are caused by Google's own failure to upgrade equipment, a charge disputed by the company and technology experts.

Putin in December [accused Google](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N3NK0WH&linkedFromStory=true) of being a tool used by the U.S. government to score political points.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Alexander MarrowEditing by Andrew Osborn)