Yandex is, essentially, russian google.

Just for the reference google home page today:

Is your point that Yandex looks more like Russian Yahoo than Russian Google?

By all means, Yandex is Russian google and not yahoo. Their search, maps and other products, by far, beat google for russian audience. Their home page looks like 1998 yahoo.

1998 Yahoo had search, maps, email, and was mostly used through dial ups.

So it makes sense Yandex would look like 1998 Yahoo.

I think it's cause it's also a major email service  and most people there have dial ups

Actually, those are two very good explanations. Thanks Tash!