Vladimir Putin Google

Russia's Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS), and possibly Prime Minister Vladimir Putin himself, blocked a deal between Google and online ad service ZAO Begun. Begun, a subsidiary of Russian portal Rambler, would have improved Google's share of internet advertising in Russia, but a Russian news report claimed that Google had not provided enough information for the FAS to evaluate the deal's consequences.CNET: Russia thwarts Google acquisition of ad firm (October 23, 2008) A Rambler shareholder told a Russian newspaper that Prime Minister Putin did not want to see Google take over the Russian internet market.Silicon Alley Insider: Putin Kills Google Deal (October 23, 2008)