Google confirms blocking of YouTube in Russia

Google Corporation confirmed that its services, including YouTube, were blocked by Roskomnadzor.

The press service of the company stated that there were no technical restrictions on their part.

Google statement:

Google and YouTube remain among the few platforms that provide access to independent information in Russia. We are aware of reports that some users in Russia are unable to access YouTube. This is not due to technical issues or actions on our part.

Basic facts:

• Decreasing YouTube traffic in Russia:
  According to Google, on December 23, traffic on the platform from Russia fell to 20% of the average values ​​recorded until August 2023.< /li>
• Official position of Roskomnadzor: The agency explained its actions by violations of legislation on the part of YouTube and disrespectful attitude towards Russia
• Comments of Russian officials:

The head of Roskomnadzor, Andriy Lipov, said that the slowdown in services was allegedly caused by the degradation of Google's caching servers after the company's withdrawal from the Russian market. The same version was previously supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his Direct Line on December 19.

Context:
Restricting access to YouTube in Russia is part of a wider trend pressure on Western technological companies and attempts to control the country's information space.