Moldova is investigating Yandex over the transfer of data to Russia and tax fraud

Moldovan authorities have launched an investigation into the operations of the “Yandex Go” taxi service due to the possible transfer of Moldovan users’ personal data to servers in Russia and alleged tax evasion.

The investigation was prompted by a report by the Moldovan branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which stated that approximately $7.8 million in company revenue may have been transferred to accounts in the UAE and Kazakhstan without paying taxes to the Moldovan government. In addition, journalists discovered that the service may have transferred citizens’ data to Russia instead of storing it on servers in the Netherlands, as declared.

The Moldovan government has ordered the company to disclose the ultimate owners of its Moldovan subsidiary within 20 days and to provide access to verify its data transmission channels. Based on the investigation’s findings, authorities are considering suspending the service’s operations or seizing its assets.

Source: Radio Free Europe.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius stated that to protect democratic elections from Russian interference, allies should ask Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to strike more data centers on Russian territory. The head of the Lithuanian government emphasized that only decisive action—not mere declarations—can deter the aggressor.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that following Ukrainian strikes on data centers belonging to the Russian company Yandex, there has been a decrease in bots, provocations, and hostility on social media. According to him, users of many platforms have noticed these changes.