Moscow Court of Arbitration again freezes LLC Google assets, accounts in amount of 500 mln rubles

MOSCOW. May 4 (Interfax) - The Moscow Court of Arbitration has frozen assets and accounts of LLC Google in the amount of 500 million rubles as interim measures securing the claim filed by the NTV television company for reinstating access to its account on YouTube, court documents said.

"The application of the NTV television company for interim measures is now granted," the court said in a ruling of April 29 published in its database.

According to the document, the freeze has been put on "money [including money freshly credited to bank accounts] and all movable and immovable assets of LLC Google in the amount of 500,000,000 rubles."

Similar measures have been taken in regard to LLC Google on a similar claim from GPM Entertainment Television [operated by the Gazprom Media Holding].

The next hearing of the NTV claim is due on May 24. Besides LLC Google, Google LLC and Google Ireland Limited have been designated as respondents.

The YouTube video hosting service said in the middle of March it would begin worldwide blocking of channels associated with state-funded media outlets of Russia in connection with the Russian military operation in Ukraine.

The accounts of TNT and NTV, owned by Gazprom Media, were blocked. The GPM press service described the decision as politically motivated.