Google on Wednesday confirmed that Google Russia is filing for bankruptcy, after the Russian government seized its assets. However, Google will continue to offer free services like Search, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, Android and Play to users in Russia, the company told ZDNet.
As its Russia office closes, Google will also move Russia-based employees elsewhere, the first Wall Street Journal report.
“The Russian authorities’ seizure of Google’s bank account in Russia has made it impossible for our Russia office to operate, including recruiting and paying employees in Russia, paying suppliers, etc. and suppliers, and meet other financial obligations,” a Google spokesperson said in an email statement to ZDNet.
Google previously announced that it would suspend most of its commercial activities in Russia, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It also stopped selling ads and cloud computing services in Russia, while YouTube has block access to channels global association with Russian state-sponsored media due to coverage of the invasion.
Russia’s military actions have brought the country conflicts with some social media platforms and other tech companiesas both sides of the conflict seek to influence its trajectory with control of the internet.
