Yandex reportedly plans to cut up to 15% of Marketplace staff
Yandex may lay off up to 15% of its e-commerce platform Yandex Market employees while offering rotations to other positions within the company, according to Russian business media reports.
Yandex Market's leadership told employees at a meeting that it plans to cut the division's staff and budget, the Russian business daily RBC reported, citing a source in the e-commerce market. Sources also told Forbes Russia that Yandex plans to lay off some Market employees and cut the marketplace's budget. Internal company forums have seen employees posting questions about potential layoffs and severance payments.
A Yandex representative did not confirm plans to cut Market staff, saying the company is reviewing team structures to focus resources on key projects. According to the representative, Yandex is abandoning "non-core projects and duplicate functions" and will redirect its marketing budget toward improving conditions for sellers and special offers for buyers.
The changes will affect up to 15% of current Market employees, but Yandex plans to find new roles within the company for as many people as possible. The exact number of Yandex Market employees is unknown. RBC notes that Yandex's overall headcount stood at 92,000 as of the first quarter of 2026.
In mid-March, the Russian business daily Kommersant reported that Yandex might begin shutting down certain business units and optimizing staff within them, affecting the Search Services and AI division, including the market research service Yandex Vzglyad. Yandex dismissed that report as inaccurate.
