Support The Moscow Times!

Reports of Facebook and Yandex 'Partnership Negotiations'

U.S. social network Facebook and Russian Internet giant Yandex are in negotiations over a potential partnership deal, the Vedomosti newspaper reported Monday, citing multiple unidentified sources close to both companies.

The companies are discussing exchanging user data and possible joint promotions, Vedomosti reported. One of the newspaper’s sources, allegedly close to Facebook, said that negotiations are still in the early stages.

Facebook is allegedly interested in a number of Yandex services in the Russian market, such as their taxi and hotel booking applications. Facebook users could be able to pay for Yandex services directly through the social network, allowing both companies to share the revenue, Vedomosti reported.

Facebook has so far not responded to requests for comment. A spokesperson from Yandex said the company was always open to negotiations with other firms.

According to data from market research agency TNS, Facebook has a Russian audience of 12.6 million users. Yandex enjoys an audience some 1.6 times larger with 20.4 million users, Vedomosti reported.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more