The company announced her departure at the weekend, saying Artem Savinovsky, described as a senior manager, would replace her.
But then Israeli newspaper Haaretz said Bunina (pictured) had fled Russia for Israel, with one Twitter poster quoting her as saying on a company forum: “I will not return. I cannot work in a country that wages war against its neighbours.”
Yandex, which has not been sanctioned by the European Union, the UK or the US, operates the biggest search engine in Russia and provides mapping and other services. It was founded by tech entrepreneur Arkady Volozh.
Reports from Israel said that Bunina is no longer communicating with the company’s head offices in Moscow, but also said she now has a position in the Israeli operation. Others said she is not in Israel in an official capacity and has no role in the company there.
According to Haaretz, Bunina last month posted on Facebook her opposition to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying she was against “blood and war”.
