r/belarus • u/geostocktravelfitguy • 6d ago
Пытанне / Question American looking to visit
Let me start off by saying, I've traveled extensively including "do no travel" countries by the USA state department. I'm also not an influencer/content creator or journalist.
Belarus is do not travel and currently the USA has suspended service there.
If I'm just looking at exploring the country do you foresee any issues? Besides apparently very extensive border searches for US/UK and other passport holders.
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u/Popular-Ad3288 6d ago
Was just there in July as a US visitor.
Border guards barely gave me a second glance both on entering and leaving. It was much more relaxed than I had anticipated.
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u/Beneficial_Win_2445 6d ago
Depends where you go. Minsk, Grodno, etc you'll be fine. If you for example try to stay in a hotel in some provincial town that happens to be near something strategically or politically sensitive, or for example a receptionist thinks you stand out and feels obligated to report you, you might not get a room until you get asked some questions by the authorities. Personal experience.
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6d ago
[deleted]
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u/geostocktravelfitguy 6d ago
Thanks, yea I would be flying in/out unless circumstances needed a land border.
Registration is no biggie, I lived in China many years ago and this is also a requirement/depending on the Chinese political environment they come looking fast or slow roll.
How are you liking it ? Thanks for your response.
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u/drfreshie Belarus 6d ago
"I, too, respect the political climate here"
You respect WHAT? Would you wish this "political climate" on yourself and your own compatriots? Or it's only suitable for us the Untermensch like us?
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u/Tough-Lie-5156 6d ago
By "respect" he does not mean he holds it in high regard. He means he understands that it is not a free country and he has to moderate his behaviour accordingly.
Calm down, son.
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u/drfreshie Belarus 6d ago
While it is indeed possible to respect, for example, a speed limit without holding it in high regard, it doesn't always work like that. Would you say that you respect the political climate of Nazi Germany, and then say you only meant understanding it wasn't a free country?
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u/Tough-Lie-5156 6d ago
As a native English speaker, the answer is yes.
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u/drfreshie Belarus 6d ago
Playing the native card, I see. Ok, your answer is accepted.
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u/Tough-Lie-5156 5d ago
Its not a card. Its an understanding of how words are used. Tbh, I get the feeling you could start a fight in an empty room
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u/drfreshie Belarus 5d ago
Right under this very post, in my country's subreddt, you're accusing my country in being complicit in the war and in somehow suppressing its own protest - and I am the one who could start a fight in an empty room?
https://www.reddit.com/r/belarus/comments/1x32a9x/comment/pf7bku8/
"The war in Ukraine is accelerating. Belarus is complicit."
"Belarus has ruthlessly suppressed protest"
"I get the feeling you could start a fight in an empty room"1
u/Tough-Lie-5156 5d ago edited 5d ago
Yes, Belarus allowed the Russians to invade via Belarus, they've allowed Russia to use Belarus communications to fly attack drones, they've allowed Belarus to be used as a migrant pathway to pressure NATO neighbours and they are hosting Russian nuclear weapons. Belarusian police ruthlessly suppressed protests in 2020 and continue so to do.
And you are claiming none of this happened 😆
Here's a Ukrainian media report:
https://kyivindependent.com/russia-led-military-bloc-launches-joint-military-drills-in-belarus/
"Belarus has supported Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine by allowing Moscow to use its territory as a staging ground for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Although Belarus has not officially deployed its own troops to fight in Ukraine, Minsk has continued military cooperation with Moscow and provided support for Russia's war effort.
Ukrainian officials said on Sept. 14 that Russia is using Belarusian infrastructure, including LTE networks and repeater stations, to help maintain stable signals for Shahed-type drones during attacks on Ukraine."
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u/drfreshie Belarus 5d ago
"Belarus allowed the Russians to invade via Belarus" etc.
Of course none of this happened, because Lukashenko does not represent Belarus. And even he and his supporters would strongly prefer to stay away from the way, as he did in 2014-22. Russia just needed our territory to attack Kyiv, and he knew he'd be removed the moment he starts resisting. His crime is getting us into this situation to start with. And none of the above is not even relevant here: the point is, you've come to a certain country's communicy to accuse this country (not its rulers but the country itself) in the worst crimes (which is extremely confrontational regardless of the veracity of the accusation), and then you hypocritically tell someone "you could start a fight in an empty room". And you did it when that someone had accepted your explanation that "respect" for our plight and disgrace actually means awareness, not approval.
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u/Terrible-Virus-4875 6d ago
I respect the fact that it’s not to be discussed for fear of being deported or worse. And the political climate back home is its own ball of wax.
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u/brashmashidiota 6d ago
I’ll be visiting with a native in a few weeks and I’m thinkin it’ll be really chill
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u/Tough-Lie-5156 6d ago edited 6d ago
There are two issues in Belarus with sensitivities and risks around them. The Ukraine war and internal political dissent.
The war in Ukraine is accelerating. Belarus is complicit. Russia is increasing hybrid attacks on neighbouring NATO and non-NATO countries (drones deep into Moldova, Polish border etc), "people smugglers" attacking Latvian border guards. This might result in land border closures. In July, Zelensky threatened Belarus with reprisal attacks if Belarus entered war in any way and boasted of "500 targets". Clearly Belarus will be sensitive to anything that looks like hostile reconnaissance of targets, so that could be you taking a photo of a train station or a water plant in Minsk. Or indeed any building that has strategic value, even if it isnt obvious to you.
As you doubtless know, Belarus has ruthlessly suppressed protest for 6 years. Do not put yourself and others at risk by trying to discuss political issues or the war when in Belarus.
IMHO now is not the time to go. Wait a couple of years.
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u/geostocktravelfitguy 6d ago
I agree there are certainly Ukraine war spill over risks.
I don't discuss internal politics when I'm a guest in another country. Whether that's China, Belarus or elsewhere.
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u/randomastronauti 6d ago
15000 people are killed by guns every year in your country and you are worried about the extremely unlikely risk of a drone attack?
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u/geostocktravelfitguy 6d ago
I'm not worried about drone attacks. There are risks that borders are sealed if certain things happened. I'll leave my guns at home.
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u/randomastronauti 6d ago
Take enough cash so that you can buy a plane ticket to Istanbul or Tel Aviv in case Poland is again closing the borders. Be aware that such a ticket might cost more than 1000 dollars
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u/bobre737 1d ago
> in case Poland is again closing the borders
Poland had its border closed for US citizens traveling from Belarus since 2022.
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u/Tough-Lie-5156 6d ago
I think you can expect rigorous questioning and a phone check. Didn't happen to me, but happens to plenty of people. The main concern for me (apart from inadvertently attracting attention with a camera) was sudden border closures which do happen. Obviously obtaining money in-country is not always possible. I went in August, everything was fine, but I had kept a close eye and felt I had a few months before the war would ramp up. It ramped up almost immediately after and I think it might prove hard for Belarus to stay out of it, especially with Lukashenko's statements recently.
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u/drfreshie Belarus 6d ago
"Belarus has ruthlessly suppressed protest for 6 years" - this statement is absurd, Belarus is the country that has been protesting, Russia and its collaborators has suppressed this protest.
"Belarus is complicit" (in the war) - same deal.
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u/Tough-Lie-5156 6d ago
Well that is wishful thinking. 'Some' Belarusians have protested, but there is a constituency who benefit directly from the Lukashenko dictatorship, another who tolerate it because they think it provides stability and another who are content to accept that they cannot become involved in politics as the price to pay for having a reasonably comfortable life.
If you think there aren't a huge number of Belarusians complicit in the regime then you have little to no idea of how authoritarian regimes function and survive.
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u/drfreshie Belarus 6d ago
Your statement goes both ways: there's no denying 'some' Belarusians are complicit in the war and in the mass torture, but they do not represent Belarus, they were unequivocally rejected by Belarusian voters in 2020. And if their number was as huge as you claim then they could easily win a free and fair election - this is what Belarusians want, this is what the protests are about. The statements "Belarus suppressed protest" and "Belarus is complicit in the war" are false.
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u/Tough-Lie-5156 5d ago
There is no monomind in Belarus. There are different constituencies, with different interests, as per my post. Same as every country.
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u/captain_catman_ 6d ago
I’m curious how visiting Belarus is as a US or EU citizen who has previously visited Ukraine and supports Ukraine?
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u/Tough-Lie-5156 6d ago
Expect further questioning. The first thing they will do is enter the Ukraine country code in your phone contact search and see what comes up.
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u/jkurratt 6d ago
It's a lottery.
By visiting you are becoming a possible hostage.
Lukashenko sometimes takes hostages from Belarusians.
And a hostage from the USA can be exchanged for something fancy.
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u/Tough-Lie-5156 6d ago
Unlikely. I did a fair amount of research into this before visiting Belarus and couldn't find a single case of a prisoner who hadn't either behaved foolishly (Japanese man taking thousands of photos of infrastructure) or had been involved with people the state regard as enemies.
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u/randomastronauti 3d ago
I also did quite a bit of research about that and it seems that these claims that random tourists get thrown in prison in Belarus and Russia is just propaganda. But for Iran this is unfortunately definitely true
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6d ago
Come in the summer. Nobody hanging out outside now. Its cold & rainy.
Issues? You need a visa, they will ask why. Second: bank card issues due to sanctions. Its a safe country, doubt they will search you. You wont have any problems unless you are caught bringing in large amounts of undeclared cash/narcotics/prescription narcotics.
Vilnius —-Minsk bus around $80 one way (crazy price)
Border lines are longer due to the new threats from Russia. Many people denied entry, secondary searches, document verification. etc
I live in Minsk. Its really not the ideal time to visit. Politics/sanctions/weather/The plague….lol
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u/Particular-Money-146 6d ago
Nah, you're all right. They won't question you at all! Belarus is so beautiful, you will love it!