In short. Yandex uses site region assignments for location-dependent search and hreflang markup to identify language and regional page alternatives.

Definition: Yandex search regions are geographic areas associated with websites for location-dependent search queries. As of 17 October 2026, Yandex documents site region assignment through Webmaster and Yandex Business, alongside language-version markup for localized pages.

Key facts

Yandex's Site region documentation describes regional assignment as one ranking factor; relevant sites remain eligible for searches from other regions.
The localized pages documentation recommends HTML language-version markup and says Sitemap-based language annotations are no longer supported.
The subdomain guidance treats each subdomain as a separate site that can be added to Webmaster to track indexing.
Yandex's redirect documentation warns that IP-based redirection can lead the robot to content intended for a different region.

How is a site's region assigned?

In Yandex Webmaster, the Site region instructions place the control under Display in the search → Site region. The request includes a selected region and a link to the site's contact details. Moderators check the choice against the website.

The same documentation advises a delivery business to choose a region covering its delivery area and list the cities served. A Moscow store delivering throughout Russia can select Russia. Region changes take effect within two weeks after moderation.

How do language signals work?

The hreflang attribute identifies a linked page's language and optional region. Yandex's localized pages instructions require each version to link to all its alternatives through link elements in the HTML head. Its example includes Russian, US English and Turkish versions:

<link rel="alternate" hreflang="ru" href="http://ru.example.com/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-us" href="http://en.example.com/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="tr-tr" href="http://example.com.tr/" />

The same documentation permits versions on different domains, subdomains or directories. It also covers pages in the same language with regional differences, such as versions for the USA, Ireland and Australia.

For a page that selects its language automatically using an IP address or the Accept-Language HTTP request header, Yandex specifies hreflang="x-default" alongside the localized alternatives.

When are regional subdomains appropriate?

Yandex's subdomain documentation connects regional subdomains to physical offices. Its example uses spb.example.com for Saint Petersburg. Moderators verify the region against the site, including its contact information.

The same guidance describes language subdomains such as en.example.com for versions serving different countries in different languages. It recommends alternative links and a region assignment, with the United States as its example. These settings describe both the language version and the site's geographic association.

How can redirects affect regional pages?

Yandex's redirect guidance explains that the robot follows a redirect and indexes its target. With an IP-based redirect, the robot can receive a different regional version from the intended audience.

The guidance calls for checking which content the robot receives. One documented option is a language or region switch, with both versions returning HTTP 200 OK. This lets the versions remain accessible without an automatic redirect between them.

FAQ

Can I select several regions in Webmaster?

The Site region FAQ says the usual assignment is one region, based on the company's actual address. It directs businesses with offices in several regions to its regional coverage recommendations.

Do I need separate domains for different languages?

Yandex's localized pages documentation allows language versions in different directories. You can link those versions through hreflang on the same domain.

Sources

Check how a page reads to answer engines. Open the GEO score analyzer