Russian court says Google revealed personal details of fallen soldiers

A Moscow court has found U.S. tech giant Alphabet Inc. guilty of violating Russian data protection laws, ruling that the company disclosed personal information of Russian servicemen killed in Ukraine through a video posted on YouTube, according to court documents cited by the TASS news agency on Monday.

The court's findings indicate that the video revealed sensitive details, including the identities and casualty figures of Russian troops, a move authorities described as illegal under national legislation.

The ruling marks the latest in a string of legal actions by Russian regulators targeting foreign technology firms. For several years, Moscow has ramped up pressure on companies like Google to remove content it deems unlawful, particularly material it labels as "fake news" about the Ukraine conflict.

In response to perceived non-compliance, the Kremlin has consistently levied financial penalties, though typically modest in scale.

In a broader political context, Russian President Vladimir Putin in December accused Google of functioning as a tool for the U.S. government under then-President Joe Biden, suggesting that the platform was being used to serve American political interests.