Russian MP specifies conditions for YouTube’s return
(MENAFN) YouTube can only fully restore its services in Russia after meeting a range of legal and technical requirements, State Duma member Anton Nemkin told RIA Novosti.
Though YouTube has never been officially banned, it has been largely difficult to access in Russia since last year due to significantly slower loading speeds. Authorities initially blamed this on a lack of server maintenance following Google’s withdrawal from Russia in 2022. Later, officials partially attributed the slowdown to YouTube’s non-compliance with Russian laws.
Nemkin stated on Friday that YouTube must address abandoned equipment, pay outstanding fines, and set up a legal entity within Russia before full functionality can resume.
He also urged YouTube to reinstate access to blocked Russian accounts. The platform has removed several Russian media outlets, such as RT and Sputnik, and repeatedly taken down channels managed by Russian bloggers, journalists, and artists. Moscow claims these removals target content that diverges from Western viewpoints.
“Without these steps, there can be no talk of easing restrictions – this is about legal compliance, not politics,” Nemkin emphasized.
Earlier reports noted that Russian-registered Google LLC owes national broadcasters huge fines for not restoring their YouTube channels. Kremlin officials described the fines as symbolic pressure to enforce compliance with Russian law.
Nemkin stressed that cooperation with global platforms like YouTube must happen on Russia’s terms. “This isn’t about banning for the sake of banning, but ensuring equal rights,” he said, adding that foreign companies must comply with local laws, pay taxes, and store user data domestically.
The MP called for an end to unchecked power by major IT firms. Should foreign platforms return, “we cannot revert to old dependencies.”
He pointed out that Russia is building its own digital infrastructure, including search engines, cloud services, video hosting, and advertising systems, to reinforce the country’s “digital sovereignty.”
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