In a recent development, a Russian court has imposed a hefty fine on Google for allegedly failing to remove false information about the conflict in Ukraine. The court's decision comes after similar actions were taken against Apple and the Wikimedia Foundation earlier this month.

According to Russian news reports, the magistrate's court found that Google's YouTube video service was guilty of not deleting videos that contained incorrect information about the conflict, which Russia refers to as a "special military operation."

Additionally, Google was also found guilty of not removing videos that provided instructions on gaining unauthorized access to certain facilities, although the specific details of these facilities were not mentioned.

In Russia, magistrate's courts typically handle administrative violations and low-level criminal cases, making this ruling significant in holding Google accountable for its alleged failure to remove objectionable content. However, Google has declined to comment on the matter.

It is important to note that Moscow's ability to collect the imposed fine from Google remains limited, given that the company's operations in Russia were effectively shut down last year amid the conflict. Google has claimed that it filed for bankruptcy in the country after its bank account was seized by the authorities, resulting in the inability to pay its staff and suppliers.

Since its military involvement in Ukraine began earlier this year, Russia has implemented several measures to suppress criticism and questioning of its campaign. Prominent opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza was recently sentenced to 25 years in prison for treason, which was attributed to his speeches criticizing Russia's actions in Ukraine.

This latest fine against Google further underscores the Russian government's efforts to control the flow of information and suppress dissenting voices regarding the conflict in Ukraine.