According to Interfax, a Russian court fined the Wikimedia Foundation, which controls Wikipedia, two million roubles ($24,510) on Thursday for not removing “banned content” relating to the Russian military.
Wikimedia received its seventh 2023 penalty for not deleting banned content. 8.4 million roubles in penalties.
The latest punishment was not deleting an item describing a military unit with “classified military information” concerning its location, makeup, and equipment, including details about Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
Wikimedia did not immediately comment. However, it earlier stated that Russian authorities’ complaints were well-sourced and within Wikipedia guidelines.
Since Moscow invaded Ukraine last year, Wikipedia has been one of the last independent Russian sources of information.
“We are not blocking Wikipedia yet, there are no such plans for now,” Interfax reported digital affairs minister Maksut Shadaev as saying last week.