Yandex research analysts recently released the list of the top 2015 queries for people, events, and phenomena in a number of categories. Not only does this list remind us what happened during the previous year but also what interested people the most. From the top movies of the year to the top searches for people, there’s a lot to learn about Russian search engine use and interests.
By clicking the links in the categories below you will be redirected to the Yandex search results (in Russian) for that specific query. Images will help you decipher what’s going on with the particular link but this blog will also walk through some of the highlights of the lists.
The domestic and international events are pretty straight forward. Users in Russia were most concerned about the Russian plane crash in Egypt, which is still being searched as the story develops. In addition to the plane crash, a number of other topics also made international news including “Putin’s escape.” The translation of “Putin’s escape” is admittedly quite comical because anyone following the story knows that Putin disappeared from the public eye in March 2015, which concerned the media and people worldwide. However, wording it as his escape is actually a better description of what went on, plus it adds a fun element that makes me picture Putin sneaking through tunnels. To clarify a few of the searches that are not well known worldwide, the Immortal Regiment event and Victory Day searches are related to celebrations and recognition of veterans and Russian war history. Russians are very patriotic and show a great deal of respect to their ancestors who served the Soviet Union and Russia.
When it comes to searches for people, Russian politicians, authors, and celebrities dominated the list. Athletes were not in the top ten but are still a popular search. Demis Roussos and Emily Clarke both made the list indicating Russians’ interest in foreign celebrities. Usually some sort of event prompts more searches for a particular person but the list generally reflects who users idolize or find interesting. Of course, Boris Nemtsov was the number one man of interest for 2015 following the death of the well known politician who is well known as an opposition leader and important figure in Russia’s history of capitalism. The number one female search for the year was also associated with the death of a celebrity, Russian singer Jeanna Friske died in June 2015 drawing a greater search interest from users who wanted to learn what happened and mourn the loss.
