Google stops selling ads in Russia on YouTube search engine

• Google told Insider that it has suspended advertising activities in Russia.
• This means that no ads will appear on Google search or YouTube in Russia.
• A Russian regulator has asked YouTube to stop showing ads containing what it called “false political information”.

Google announced on Friday that it had stopped selling ads in Russia in the middle of the country ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

“Given the extraordinary circumstances, we are suspending Google ads in Russia. The situation is changing rapidly and we will continue to share updates as appropriate,” Google spokesperson Michael Aciman told Insider in a statement. .

This decision means that no ads will appear on Google search or YouTube in Russia.

Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

The ad sale decision comes a day after Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor demanded that Google block ads on YouTube containing what it called ‘false political information’ about Ukraine, according to a translation from the Wall Street Journal.

Insider’s Lara O’Reilly reported that Ukrainian ad professionals had formed a group of volunteers creating ads aimed at Russia and Belarus, in an effort to counter misinformation about Russia’s attack on Russia. ‘Ukraine.

Earlier this week, Google turned off its Google Maps review feature for Russian businesses after restaurant and cafe reviews in Russia were flooded with information about Ukraine and protests against the invasion.