Paris / Moscow: Global technology major Google has suffered an unusual legal setback after assets worth around €110 million (approximately ₹1,070 crore) were temporarily frozen in France following orders issued by a Russian court. The move, initiated by the court-appointed liquidator of Google’s now-defunct Russian subsidiary, is being viewed as a rare attempt by Russia to enforce domestic judicial rulings against a major US company in Western Europe.
According to Reuters, the frozen assets consist of shareholdings linked to Google International, and the action stems from three separate rulings delivered by Russian arbitration courts between 2024 and 2025. The enforcement was sought through French legal channels under international commercial law provisions.
Dispute linked to alleged illegal dividend payment in 2021
William Joly, a lawyer at French law firm WJ Avocats representing the Russian liquidator, said the Moscow arbitration court had ruled that Google carried out an illegal dividend payment of 10 billion roubles in 2021, equivalent to roughly $126 million at the time.
The Russian court held that the dividend transfer occurred when Google Russia was already under mounting regulatory and financial pressure, ultimately contributing to the subsidiary’s collapse. On this basis, the liquidator argued that the payment violated Russian insolvency rules and should be recovered for creditors.
Using this ruling, the liquidator petitioned French courts to impose a precautionary freeze on Google-linked assets to secure potential recovery, pending formal recognition of the Russian judgments.
French court recognition required to maintain freeze
Under French law, the asset freeze is not permanent. The liquidator must initiate formal proceedings within one month to seek recognition and enforcement of the Russian court rulings by a French judicial authority. Failure to do so would automatically result in the lifting of the freeze.
Joly confirmed that the necessary filings will shortly be submitted before a Paris court and that Google France has already been formally notified. The French court will then decide whether the Russian arbitration decisions meet the legal standards required for enforcement under French and EU law.
Legal experts note that such recognition is far from automatic, especially given the current geopolitical climate and the heightened scrutiny applied to Russian judicial decisions in Europe.
Possible legal action in other jurisdictions
The French action may not be the last. According to sources cited by Reuters, the Russian liquidator is also examining Google-linked assets in Spain, Turkey and South Africa, with a view to pursuing similar precautionary measures.
If successful in France, the move could open the door to parallel proceedings in other jurisdictions, potentially exposing Google to a broader, multi-country legal challenge tied to its Russian exit.
Google Russia collapsed after Ukraine war fallout
Google Russia filed for bankruptcy in 2022, months after the start of the Ukraine war. The company said at the time that Russian authorities had seized its bank accounts, making it impossible to pay staff, vendors or continue operations.
Following the account seizures, most of Google’s commercial services in Russia effectively ceased, though some free products remained accessible. The bankruptcy marked one of the most high-profile corporate exits from Russia by a Western technology company after the invasion of Ukraine.
Google has not issued a detailed public response to the French asset freeze. However, the company has previously stated that legal claims arising in Russia should be viewed in the context of extraordinary political and regulatory pressures faced by foreign firms operating in the country.
Rising legal uncertainty for multinational companies
Legal analysts say the case carries wider implications for multinational corporations operating across politically divided jurisdictions. It represents a rare instance in which a Russian court ruling is being used to pursue assets of a US company within the European Union.
“This is not just about Google,” said a Paris-based international arbitration expert. “It signals how geopolitical conflict is increasingly intersecting with corporate law, insolvency proceedings and cross-border enforcement.”
The outcome of the French court proceedings will be closely watched, as it may set a precedent for how national courts in Europe treat enforcement requests stemming from Russian judicial decisions amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
