Russia to increase taxes on US Internet companies

Russia’s ‘Internet czar’ Klimenko said in an interview that he is planning to force Google and Apple to pay higher taxes (18% VAT to as much as $3.9 billion) and to ban Microsoft Windows from government devices. He hopes to thereby stimulate the growth of Russian competitors. According to Klimenko, ‘when you buy an app from Google Play or the App Store anywhere in Europe, VAT is charged at the place of payment, but not here in our banana republic.’