MOSCOW, March 19, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yandex (YNDX) announced today that NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. has added the company to the NASDAQ Internet Index (Nasdaq:QNET), effective with today's market open.

"As the largest Russian internet business, we are pleased that Yandex will now be included in the NASDAQ Internet Index alongside some of the most innovative and influential internet companies in the world. The addition of Yandex to the index is a recognition of our company's growth and leadership, coupled with the strength of our technology and quality of our employees," said Arkady Volozh, Chief Executive Officer of Yandex.

The NASDAQ Internet Index is a modified market capitalization-weighted index designed to track the performance of the largest and most liquid U.S.-listed companies engaged in internet-related businesses and that are listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or NYSE Amex. The Index includes companies engaged in a broad range of internet-related services including, but not limited to internet software, internet access providers, internet search engines, web hosting, website design, and internet retail commerce.

About Yandex

Yandex is the leading internet company in Russia, operating the country's most popular search engine and most visited website. Yandex also operates in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Turkey. Yandex's mission is to answer any question internet users may have.

The Yandex Company logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10933

CONTACT: Investor Relations
         Dmitry Barsukov, Katya Zhukova
         Phone: +7 495 739-70-00
         E-mail: askIR@yandex-team.ru

         US Investor Contact
         The Blueshirt Group, for Yandex
         Alex Wellins
         Phone: +1 415 217-5861
         E-mail: alex@blueshirtgroup.com

         Media Relations
         Ochir Mandzhikov, Dina Litvinova
         Phone: +7 495 739-70-00
         E-mail: pr@yandex-team.ru