Moldovan authorities have launched an investigation into Russian technology company Yandex over suspicions that it collected personal data belonging to Moldovan citizens and transferred it directly to servers in Russia, rather than storing it in the Netherlands as previously believed.
The investigation follows a report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Moldovan service, which also raised allegations of possible tax evasion linked to the company’s ride-hailing business.
Court documents obtained by RFE/RL indicate that Yandex Go generated approximately $7.8 million in revenue that was allegedly transferred directly to bank accounts in Dubai and Kazakhstan without first being taxed in Moldova. The company also refused to provide authorities with information about drivers using its platform.
“We are aware that a large number of citizens and drivers use this platform. Therefore, we must investigate potential risks associated with the unauthorised use of personal data through its collection, storage, processing or unjustified access to large volumes of personal data belonging to citizens of the Republic of Moldova,” the government said in a statement.
Concerns Over Data Privacy and Tax Payments
Moldova’s competition authority told RFE/RL that Yandex, which reportedly controls around 60 per cent of the country’s taxi services market, paid $45,000 into the state budget on October 5. The payment was made from a bank account in the United Arab Emirates.
The money represented a fine imposed in 2025 on MLU BV, part of the Yandex group, for refusing to provide authorities with a list of drivers using its Yandex Pro and Yandex Go applications. Yandex Pro is used by drivers and taxi companies, while Yandex Go serves passengers.
In May, MLU BV was fined $112 million in the Netherlands, where it is headquartered, over the collection and storage of user and driver data from Norway and Finland on servers in Russia.
The information reportedly included scanned driving licences, home addresses, contact details, bank account numbers, precise location data, ride histories, photographs, correspondence and social security numbers.
Moldovan authorities have expressed concerns for several years about the possibility that similar information could be stored in Russia. Yandex has repeatedly maintained that the data is stored by European companies within its corporate group.
Court Dispute Over Driver Information
Moldovan authorities first requested information about Yandex drivers in 2022. Four requests were rejected before the country’s competition authority fined Ridetech International, a Netherlands-based company operating the applications in Moldova, in November 2025.
By the time the fine was issued, Ridetech had already been acquired by MLU BV. The latter challenged the penalty in court, seeking to have it overturned.
During the proceedings, MLU BV argued that Ridetech had destroyed the data. Judges ruled that the company had not provided sufficient evidence to substantiate that claim.
Court documents reviewed by RFE/RL do not establish where information about Moldovan drivers was stored or when it may have been deleted. Yandex did not respond to requests for comment.
RFE/RL’s investigation, published on October 13, also reported that payments for rides booked through Yandex Go were directed to a company in the United Arab Emirates, while subscriptions to Yandex Plus were paid to a company in Kazakhstan.
In June, Moldova’s parliament considered draft legislation that would require taxi platforms to process payments through domestic banks. The proposal did not reach a final vote.
Authorities Consider Further Restrictions
The day after RFE/RL published its findings, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea announced that the government would investigate Yandex’s business operations and potential security risks.
On October 15, Moldova’s Strategic Investment Review Council, a government body chaired by Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, also intervened.
The council, which has the authority to suspend the operations of entities considered security threats, demanded full disclosure of the ultimate beneficial owners of Yandex’s Moldovan operation. It also asked the relevant data protection authorities to establish where users’ personal information was being sent.
Authorities have warned that the investigation could lead to asset seizures or a ban on the application’s operations in Moldova.
Yandex was given 20 days to comply with the disclosure request. The company accepted the deadline but did not provide further details.
Latvia and Estonia Have Already Banned Yandex Go
Concerns about Yandex’s handling of personal data extend beyond Moldova.
Latvia and Estonia banned Yandex Go in 2022, citing security risks and the transfer of user information to servers in Russia.
The application remains popular in several countries, particularly across the former Soviet Union, and is also used in Serbia.
The Moldovan investigation could determine whether Yandex will be allowed to continue operating in the country or face further restrictions over data protection, corporate transparency and potential national security risks.
