Russia’s eastern Ukraine proxy blocks access to Google in region

Ukraine has lost access to the search engine Google after Russian-backed separatists in a region of eastern Ukraine blocked the search portal citing “disinformation,” according to a message from the group’s leader on his Telegram channel. 

In a message meant for his supporters as the self-styled ruler of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, accused Google of promoting “violence against all Russians” and blamed the U.S. government for using its “handlers” to interfere in the region. 

He claimed that Google needed to stop pursuing its “criminal policy” and in order for its operations to go back to normal in the region it needed to return to the “mainstream of law, morality and common sense.”

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Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 this year, many tech companies have come under fire from the Russian government and its proxies in Ukraine for their refusal to take down content deemed illegal. They have accused Western companies of being anti-Russian and promoting a one-sided stance on the conflict.

So much so that various companies have come under fire for their refusal to take down content. Most recently, Alphabet’s prized company, Google, was directed by the Tagansky District Court to pay a $373 million fine for its repeated failures to remove content that the Russian government finds illegal. 

Even Meta was not immune to the influence of the Russian government, as the country refused to remove the “extremist activity” tag that it had attached to the company. Instagram and Facebook were banned in Russia shortly after the invasion of Ukraine. 

Russia has been tightening the noose around Western tech companies since the invasion, passing legislation that requires them to have offices set up in its regions to continue operating there. 

Also Read: Russia passes law that fines tech companies without offices

Even Russia’s proxies in Ukraine have taken the extra step to block access to Facebook and Instagram, aligning themselves with Russia’s policy on U.S.-based tech companies, particularly those that operate social media.