MOSCOW, July 25 (Reuters) - YouTube speeds on desktop

computers in Russia may drop by around 40% this week and up to

70% the following week, a senior Russian lawmaker, close to the

authorities, said on Thursday, part of a drive to persuade the

video hosting site to reinstate blocked Russian channels.

Alphabet's YouTube has faced heavy criticism in

Russia for taking down channels that broadcast Russian state

media. Russia has also fined Google on many occasions for

failing to remove content Russia considers illegal or

undesirable.

"The 'degradation' of YouTube is a necessary step, directed

not against Russian users, but against the administration of a

foreign resource that still believes it can violate and ignore

our legislation without punishment," Alexander Khinshtein, head

of the State Duma lower house of parliament's Committee on

Information Policy, said on Telegram.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The fate of YouTube in Russia was in the company's hands, he

said.

"If the administration of the resource will not change its

policy and will not start observing our laws, it can expect

nothing good here," Khinshtein wrote.