Google ordered by Russian court to return 160.3 billion rubles

A Russian cassation court has upheld a ruling requiring Google Ireland Limited and Google International LLC to return 160.3 billion rubles (approximately 27.2 trillion IDR) to its bankrupt Russian subsidiary, OOO Google.

The dispute stems from the transfer of funds from the Russian entity to its Irish parent companies between 2018 and 2022. The Moscow Arbitration Court previously declared these transfers illegal, ordering the return of 101.7 billion rubles in principal plus 58.6 billion rubles in interest. This latest decision effectively closes the standard appeals process, though Google may still attempt to appeal to the Russian Supreme Court.

While the ruling is legally binding within Russia, experts note significant challenges in enforcing the decision internationally. Legal analysts suggest that European Union regulations and sanctions may hinder the seizure of assets in Ireland. However, creditors have seen some success elsewhere; for instance, Belgian assets worth 115 million euros were previously seized, and a South African court upheld a similar Russian ruling regarding Google assets in 2025.