MOSCOW, July 28 (RAPSI) — A magistrate judge in Moscow on Thursday fined WhatsApp LLC 18 million rubles (about $300,000) for repeated refusal to localize Russian users’ personal data in the Russian Federation, according to a representative of the Tagansky District Court.

The company was found guilty of violation of Russian personal data legislation, the court held. It received the greatest possible fine envisaged by law.

Also, on Thursday, Snapchat owner Snap Inc was fined 1 million rubles (over $17,000) for similar violations committed for the first time.

Previously, Russia’s communications watchdog Roskomnadzor reminded of the fact that the operator must ensure recording, systematization, keeping, updating, changing and recovery of data of Russian users with the use of databases locating within the country. These rules provide the sufficient level of data security, the watchdog states.