Moscow court fines Zoom 65.9 million rubles for repeat violation of Russian law
In short
A Moscow court fined Zoom about 65.9 million rubles (65,936,494 rubles) for a repeat violation of Russian legislation on foreign internet companies, Interfax, Vedomosti and Kommersant reported. The case was heard under part 3 of article 13.49 of the administrative code. On the same day the Tagansky court also fined Google, Reddit, Telegram and Twitch, according to Vedomosti, with RBC putting the total at almost 173 million rubles.
Read the full story 2 min read
A Moscow court fined the video-conferencing company Zoom for a repeat violation of Russian legislation on foreign entities operating on the internet, according to RIA Novosti, Interfax, Vedomosti, TASS and Kommersant. Interfax, citing the Moscow City Court, put the fine at 65,936,494 rubles; Vedomosti and Kommersant reported it as 65.9 million rubles and TASS as about 66 million rubles. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
The case was heard in Moscow's Tagansky district by a magistrate, and the company was found guilty under part 3 of article 13.49 of the administrative code, which covers a repeat failure by foreign entities to meet obligations set by Russian law on the internet, the outlets reported. Kommersant said the law requires services with a daily audience of more than 500,000 users to open a branch or representative office in Russia, register an account with Roskomnadzor and place an electronic feedback form. Vedomosti and RBC named the company as Zoom Communication, Inc. and Zoom Communications Inc. respectively, while Kommersant wrote Zoom Video Communications. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
The outlets gave differing accounts of Zoom's earlier Russian fines. Interfax reported that the company was fined almost 80 million rubles in 2025 for a similar offence and 115 million rubles in 2023 for operating in Russia without a branch or representative office, and that it had repeatedly faced administrative liability for failing to localise Russian users' personal data in Russia. Kommersant reported that Zoom was penalised in 2022 over personal data localisation and again in 2023, with sums of 1 million and 15 million rubles respectively. [ 2 , 6 ]
Kommersant noted that the requirement to have a presence in Russia is only one of the tools provided by the law. It said a violation by a foreign IT company can lead to a ban on advertising, restrictions on collecting and transferring personal data, traffic throttling and blocking of the resource, and that access may also be restricted if a fine is not paid. According to Kommersant, the fine can reach 10% of a company's total revenue in Russia. [ 6 ]
The ruling was part of a wider round of cases that day. Vedomosti reported that the Tagansky court also fined Google, Reddit, Telegram and Twitch on 7 October, with Google LLC, Reddit Inc. and Telegram each receiving 3.8 million rubles and Twitch Interactive Inc. 14 million rubles; the same outlet said Telegram had been fined 3.8 million rubles on 6 October for failing to delete content banned in Russia. RBC reported that courts in Moscow fined Google LLC, Zoom Communications Inc. and other companies a total of almost 173 million rubles. [ 3 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The fine is one of several enforcement tools Russian law provides against foreign internet companies, and Kommersant notes these can extend to advertising bans, restrictions on personal data and blocking. The size of the sanction is small relative to Zoom's global business, but it adds to a series of Russian penalties against the company. The same day's rulings against Google, Reddit, Telegram and Twitch show the enforcement was part of a wider round of cases.
Key facts
- A Moscow court found Zoom guilty of violating Russian law on the activities of foreign legal entities on the internet and fined it 65,936,494 rubles, Interfax reported, citing the Moscow City Court. [ 2 ]
- Vedomosti, TASS and Kommersant put the fine at about 65.9 million rubles (66 million). [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The case was brought under part 3 of article 13.49 of the administrative code, covering a repeat failure by foreign entities to meet obligations set by Russian law on the internet. [ 2 , 3 , 6 ]
- The case was heard in the Tagansky district of Moscow, by a magistrate (мировой судья), according to Interfax, Vedomosti and Kommersant. [ 2 , 3 , 6 ]
- Vedomosti reported that on 7 October the Tagansky court also fined Google LLC, Reddit Inc. and Telegram 3.8 million rubles each and Twitch Interactive Inc. 14 million rubles. [ 3 ]
- RBC reported that Moscow courts fined Google LLC, Zoom Communications Inc. and other companies a total of almost 173 million rubles. [ 5 ]
- Kommersant reported that the law obliges services with a daily audience of more than 500,000 users to open a branch or representative office in Russia, register an account with Roskomnadzor and place an electronic feedback form. [ 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A Moscow court found Zoom guilty of violating Russian law on foreign entities operating on the internet and imposed a fine. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The fine was about 65.9 million rubles, with Interfax giving the exact figure of 65,936,494 rubles. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The violation was classified under part 3 of article 13.49 of the administrative code, for a repeat failure to meet the obligations set by Russian law. [ 2 , 3 , 6 ]
- The ruling was issued by a court in Moscow's Tagansky district. [ 2 , 3 , 6 ]
- Other foreign internet companies were fined by Moscow courts on the same day. [ 3 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- The amounts of Zoom's earlier Russian fines differ between outlets: Interfax reports fines of almost 80 million rubles in 2025 and 115 million rubles in 2023, while Kommersant reports 1 million rubles in 2022 and 15 million rubles in 2023. The two business outlets give different figures and different grounds for the earlier penalties, so the previous fine history is not consistent across sources.
- The legal name of the company fined differs between outlets: Vedomosti writes Zoom Communication, Inc., Kommersant writes Zoom Video Communications, and RBC writes Zoom Communications Inc. Single-source and differing renderings of the company name; the documents do not resolve which is correct.
- No document reports a reaction from Zoom or says whether the fine has been paid or appealed. None of the documents include a company comment or any statement on payment or appeal.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RIA Novosti reports that a Moscow court fined Zoom for violating Russian legislation. [ 1 ]
- Interfax reports the fine as 65,936,494 rubles, citing the Moscow City Court. [ 2 ]
- Vedomosti reports the fine at 65.9 million rubles and notes same-day fines against Google, Reddit, Telegram and Twitch. [ 3 ]
- TASS reports the fine at about 66 million rubles for non-fulfilment of obligations under Russian law on foreign entities on the internet. [ 4 ]
- RBC reports that courts in Moscow fined Google LLC, Zoom Communications Inc. and other companies a total of almost 173 million rubles. [ 5 ]
- Kommersant reports the Tagansky magistrate's fine of 65.9 million rubles and describes the possible consequences of non-compliance. [ 6 ]