MOSCOW Reuters says it would this month remove the corporate owner Google for repeatedly failing to delete videos deemed illegal in Moscow's strongest effort to ban foreign companies.
Communications regulator Roskomnadzor said Google failed to pay $32.5 million in penalties so far this year that it would also seek a fine of 5 - 20% of Google's Russian turnover, which could reach as much as $240 million, a substantial increase.
Google has not immediately responded to a request for comment.
Russia has ramped up pressure on foreign tech companies as it attempts to assert greater control over the internet in the country, slowing down the speed of Twitter since March and routinely fining others for content violations.
Opposition activists have accused Alphabet to remove the tactical voting application from their stores after they demolished an anti-government app.
Roskomnadzor said earlier in October that it would ask the court to impose turnover fine on social media firm Facebook, citing legislation signed by President Vladimir Putin in December 2020.
A similar case will be put together against Google in October, Roskomnadzor said on Tuesday in emailed comments to Reuters, noting that the company also owned video-hosting site YouTube.
A database from SPARK Business revealed that Google's revenue in 2020 in Russia was 85.5 billion roubles. A 5 - 20% fine would amount to between 4.3 and 17.1 billion roubles.
Google is currently fighting a court decision which has required it unblock the YouTube account of a sanctioned Russian businessman or face a compounding fine on its overall turnover that would double every week and force Google out of business within months if paid.