YouTube speeds in Russia will drop sharply on desktop computers because Google has failed to upgrade its hardware in Russia and is refusing to unblock Russian media channels, a senior lawmaker close to the authorities said Friday. Russia has criticized Alphabet (GOOGL.O), opens a new tab Google for removing YouTube channels of Russian media and public figures and has fined the U.S. company several times for failing to remove content that Russia considers illegal or objectionable.

Alexander Khinshtein, chairman of the information policy committee of the lower house of parliament, said on Thursday that the video hosting service's speed reduction was a forced measure aimed at YouTube, as the company believes it can violate Russian law with impunity. On Friday, Khinshtein sought to clarify these comments and his claim that YouTube download speeds in Russia have dropped by 40% and will drop to 70% next week. "This is mainly due to the actions (or rather, inaction) of YouTube itself," Khinshtein said. Communications regulator Roskomnadzor said YouTube quality was declining because Google had not updated its Google Global Cache servers in Russia. Hinshtein also said Google had failed to invest in Russian infrastructure, bankrupting its local subsidiary and leaving it unable to pay for local data center services. Google did not respond to the requests for comments from these accusations.

YouTube blocks access around the world linked to Russian state -owned media in March 2022, refuses, minimizes, or prohibits trivial violence events. doing. He stated that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was recognized by violence policies and the violation of materials was deleted.

Google's subsidiary of Russian has been paid for the work in Russia, including Russian employees, suppliers, and suppliers, to submit bankruptcy in the second half of the same year. Did.