Yandex is an incumbent in a region where the government does not always welcome foreign business. Moreover, the company, often called the "Google of Russia," owns and operates a significant mapping database, an advantage over Uber. And Yandex, a well-established internet brand in Eastern Europe, is able to heavily market its services to potential customers through its online properties — a luxury Uber does not have. Players on both sides say that rather than spending money fighting for market share, a deal made the most sense.