Russia fines Google 22.8 million rubles for promoting VPNs on the Play Store

• 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.

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