travel to belarus from uk

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• Passports, travel and living abroad
• Travel abroad
• Foreign travel advice

Warnings and insurance

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice .

FCDO  advises against all travel to Belarus

Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice. Consular support is also severely limited where FCDO advises against travel.

Russian military operations are taking place in Belarus. There is some risk that direct conflict linked to the war in Ukraine may spread to Belarus.

If conflict starts, FCDO ’s ability to offer consular assistance will be severely limited. Routes out of the country are limited, particularly by air.

Find out more about safety and security in Belarus.

Dual nationality

Belarus does not recognise dual nationality. If you have both Belarusian and British passports, the authorities will consider you Belarusian, even if you enter the country on your British passport. This limits the UK government’s ability to provide consular assistance.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide as well as support for British nationals abroad which includes:

• advice on preparing for travel abroad and reducing risks
• information for women, LGBT+ and disabled travellers

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and potential expenses in an emergency.

Related content

Invasion of ukraine.

• UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals
• Move to the UK if you're coming from Ukraine
• Homes for Ukraine: record your interest
• Find out about the UK’s response

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Useful tips for traveling to Belarus in 2024

By Joan Torres 14 Comments Last updated on March 22, 2024

Despite the war in Ukraine, Belarus is still open to international travelers.

As you may know, tourism in Belarus is kind of in an embryonic stage.

For some reason we don’t know – but probably related to Belarus being a dictatorial regime – Belarussian authorities have never shown any interest in promoting their country as a tourist destination, and proof of that is that getting a visa has always been a tedious, complicated process.

Things, however, are changing and, since they started to liberalize their visa regime at the beginning of 2019, more travelers are deciding who each and every day decide to discover the wonders of White Russia each and every day.

With more than 11,000 lakes and 40% of its territory composed of misty forest, Belarus is a beautiful country to travel to, home to dreamy castles – some of them part of UNESCO – and a majestic capital named Minsk , besides all its WWII-related history.

Moreover, if you are interested in the history of the Soviet Union, you will have a lot to do in Belarus, because nowhere else is as Soviet, not even Transnistria , as the country is filled with endless memorials and symbols that pay tribute to the former Communist regime.

Having said that, this Belarus travel guide contains tips and everything you need to know to travel to Belarus , from visas to top experiences and much, much more!

I also recommend you read: 7 very weird things to do in Belarus

In this Belarus travel guide, you will find:

Table of Contents

• COVID-19 Travel Restriction
• Travel insurance
• How to get in
• Top experiences
• Last European dictatorship
• Culture, language, religion
• Accommodation
• Transportation
• Best time to visit
• More information

😷 COVID-19 Travel restrictions for Belarus

There are no COVID restrictions for traveling to Belarus.

Travel Insurance for Belarus with COVID-19 coverage

IATI Insurance  is one of the few providers that offers full Coronavirus coverage, not only when it comes to treatment, but also cancellations costs in case you tested positive before departure. 

Moreover, remember that being in possession of travel with insurance is a must for getting visa on arrival.

Readers of Against the Compass can get an exclusive 5% discount .

🪪 Visa for traveling to Belarus

Note that despite the Ukraine war, you can still get a visa for Belarus as usual.

Belarus is the only European country that presents certain difficulties when it comes to getting a visa.

There are 3 types of tourist visas:

1 – Belarus Visa on arrival (VOA)

Up to 80 nationalities can get a VOA valid for 30 days.

Here you can see the updated list of countries.

However, keep in mind:

The VOA is only available for those who enter and exit through Minsk International Airport

This means that if you wish to travel to Belarus overland, the VOA won’t be available, so you will have to get it the old-fashioned way, at the embassy which, apparently, is a pain in the ass.

Belarus visa requirements (for VOA)

• Proof of funds and, typically, they require what they call 2 base amounts per day, which is 51BYR (around $20).
• Travel Insurance with a minimum medical coverage of 10,000€. Being in possession of travel with insurance is a must for getting visa on arrival. I strongly recommend IATI Insurance . Readers of this blog can get 5% exclusive discount that you can get through this link .

Sometimes they ask for these things, sometimes they don’t.

They did ask for my travel insurance but didn’t ask for proof of funds.

2 – How to get a tourist visa for Belarus at the embassy

Remember that you should only use this option if:

• Your nationality isn’t in this list
• You want to travel to Belarus overland

To give you some idea, what the embassy usually asks for is:

• Passport photo
• Form correctly filled in
• Invitation letter
• Hotel booking (and they don’t accept Booking.com confirmations)

Requirements may vary slightly from embassy to embassy, so I recommend you contact your nearest one for more details. On average, the visa costs 60€ and takes 5 working days.

3 – VOA in Brest and Grodno

Brest and Grodno are two border cities with Poland and they have the peculiarity that they can be visited without a visa as long as:

• You travel to Belarus overland through Poland and use their respective border entries
• You don’t leave the respective region. For example, if you travel to Brest from Poland, this visa is only valid for the Brest region, so you can’t visit Minsk or any other place in the country.
• You don’t spend more than 10 days

To get your visa, you will have to fill a form and you can find more details here

Registering in Belarus

Something that sucks about traveling to Belarus is that you need to register at the police every 5 days. This means that, if you plan to spend 30 days in the country, you will have to register 6 times.

It is an old, nonsense, Soviet rule.

The first time you can easily do it through this link , for free, but then you will have to go to the Department of Citizenship and Migration in Minsk – if you are not in Minsk, ask your hotel – and pay the equivalent of 15€.

It’s a tedious, unnecessary process.

Some hotels – just the good ones – can do it for you.

What happens if you don’t register or miss the deadline?

Welcome to my world.

We missed the second registration deadline, after 10 days, so when we came back to Minsk, we went to the immigration office and the only thing that happened was that we had to pay a fine of just 1 base amount (the Soviet concept) for each day we missed the deadline, so 51 rubles (25.5 + 25.5).

But, what happens if you leave the country without registering?

I don’t really know but at customs, they do ask for it, so you could miss your flight. My advice is that you should register.

🚑 Travel Insurance for Belarus

Proper travel insurance is a must-requirement for getting your visa on arrival in Belarus.

I recommend IATI Insurance :

• All types of plans: from families to backpackers, covers senior citizens too
• Good for up to 1-year trips.
• Readers of this blog can get a 5% exclusive discount

🛫 How to travel to Belarus

Traveling to belarus by land.

As long as you have a valid visa, you can enter Belarus from the following countries, both by train and bus, but the train will always be more epic.

You can’t travel from Russia to Belarus – It’s a bit weird but apparently, between Russia and Belarus there is a treatment similar to the EU, so there are no borders. Russians and Belarussians can cross it freely but, since there is no passport control, foreigners are not allowed to use it.

Traveling to Belarus by plane

Because of the Russian-Ukraine war, European Airlines are not flying to Minsk anymore, but you can still fly from Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) and Dubai (Emirates).

🛖 Tourism in Belarus: Top 5 experiences

1 – visiting soviet minsk.

The most Soviet city in the world is filled with Stalinist buildings and loads of Communist-related stuff. Read my Minsk guide .

2 – Checking out the Stalin Line

What used to be the border between USSR and Europe is today an epic open-air museum where you can see all types of weapons, tanks, and many other surprises.

3 – Wandering around dreamy Belarussian castles

Belarus is also home to dreamy castles, today UNESCO World Heritage sites.

I recommend you visit Mir and Nesvizh castles .

4 – Learning from all the World War II Heritage

From a village burnt by the Nazis to the defensive line of Brest, Belarus suffered greatly in the German invasion and today, the country is filled with many interesting memorials and museums.

5 – Exploring the endless forest and lakes

40% of Belarus is covered by forest and it is home to more than 11,000 lakes, most of them being concentrated in Braslav.

And don’t forget to read the most bizarre attractions to see in Belarus

Belarus, the last European dictatorship

Belarus is today living the most intense protests in the country’s history. Massive demonstrations against dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who is answering a peaceful movement with repression and more repression.

Probably, a travel blog isn’t the right place to talk about politics, but I also believe that having a little knowledge about the political situation in a certain country will help you understand what’s going on when you travel there.

Not sure if you know that Belarus is considered an authoritarian regime, the last dictatorship in Europe and the country with the most long-lasting President.

No press freedom, fraudulent elections, no real separation of powers and the only European country that keeps the death penalty.

Obviously, Belarus isn’t as repressive as China, Turkmenistan or Eritrea , not even close, but in comparison with Europe, it is, and, because of that, it has been always heavily criticized by the West, especially because Belarus prefers Russia as a partner, and depends on Russia for 20% of its exports, , plus all its natural resources.

A very Soviet former Soviet country

Another fact and, in fact, something that makes visiting Belarus particularly appealing, is that it still is a very Soviet country, more than any other former republic.

Actually, the President grew up in a very rural area of Belarus named Mogilev, so he had a strong Soviet education, the reason why, even now, he is very nostalgic and decorates the country with images of Lenin and hammer & sickle logos.

Besides, the state controls 80% of the country’s production, so you can still find collective farms and there is a strong protectionism that bans the entrance of many foreign companies.

They never really abandoned Communism but, you know what?

I won’t be the person who defends Mr. Lukashenko because he is a dictator, yes, but we also have to accept that he has done great things for the country’s economy: the unemployment rate is very low and the country seems very developed, more than any other Soviet country, including Ukraine , where, despite it being a great country to travel, you see a lot of misery.

Read my Moldova travel guide

💬 Culture, language, and religion

It’s mandatory to have a travel insurance for getting visa on arrival in Belarus. I strongly recommend IATI Insurance : COVID-19 coverage + full Belarus coverage + 5% discount BUY IT HERE TO GET YOUR SPECIAL DISCOUNT

Sometimes, it can prove difficult to find a specific characteristic of Belarussian culture, as today, Belarus is a strange mix of all its respective neighbors, but mainly because Belarusian culture has been oppressed for centuries, from when they were part of Lithuania to the Soviet Union, especially during Stalin’s rule.

Because of this, I heard that many Belarussians don’t have a very strong national identity and proof of that is that a significant number would support a potential annexation with Mother Russia.

The Government doesn’t help much either. The President is the most pro-Russian dude ever and I read that, except for a few specific occasions, he never speaks in Belarussian publicly.

However, today, the Belarussian national identity is quickly growing stronger and stronger every day, especially among young Belarussian students, who fight for greater recognition of their culture.

Belarussians are super nice 🙂

By the way, we can’t deny the fact that, in many Eastern European countries, especially Ukraine and Moldova, people look kind of serious at the beginning, sometimes even angry, but it is just the way they are and, when you get to know them, they are very nice.

In Belarus, I was expecting sort of the same thing but everybody I met was very happy and smiley. I was very surprised.

The official language in Belarus is Belarussian, along with Russian.

They are close but different, and I believe they have the same relationship as Spanish with Catalan and Portuguese.

As in their culture, the Belarussian language has also suffered from repression to the extent that Stalin promoted a reform that consisted of removing all those grammatical elements that came from Polish or Lithuanian languages. I don’t know if current Belarussian is still a consequence of that reform.

Most Belarussians belong to the Belarussian Orthodox Church , a union of the Russian Orthodox Church with Belarussian territories.

🍲 Food in Belarus

Belarus is a Slavic country and a former USSR republic and as such, their food is quite similar to their neighbors’.

In fact, in my humblest opinion, their typical dishes are not very different from Ukraine’s, as borsch , dranikis , salo and the local version of varenyky will always be on all menus.

In any case, Belarussian cuisine is heavy, good for winter, and potato seems to be the basis of pretty much any meal.

Actually, I read somewhere that Belarus has the highest consumption of potato per capita in the world.

• Borsch – The famous beetroot soup with sour cream and other vegetables and a Soviet Union classic. They claim it comes originally from Ukraine but it was as available in Belarus as there. I remember one day in a local restaurant, a 12-member family was sitting next to us and each one of them was having a bowl of borsch.
• Dranikis – Potato pancakes, they say this is the most traditional dish in the country. Sometimes it comes with bacon, while others it just serves as a side dish.
• Kletksi – In Russia they call them pelmeni , in Ukraine varenyky , in Poland pierogi , and in Belarus kletski . They change their shape and filing but they are all Eastern European dumplings.

On this page , you can see a more detailed description of food in Belarus.

These are the star dishes but they also have other food which has a stronger Polish or Lithuanian influence, like Zhurek, a black bread soup with animal fat and vegetables.

Belarus travel tip: In cities, something you need to know is that for lunch, most restaurants will offer a business lunch deal for 4-6 rubles, but quantities tend to be small.

💻 Internet and connectivity in Belarus

Did you know that Belarus is an important IT hub in the region?

They actually have what is known as High-Tech-Park , a version of Silicon Valley.

Anyways, this might be the reason why the internet in Minsk is so fast, one of the fastest connections in the continent, and in the rest of the country, it is pretty good.

Almost all cafés have good Wi-Fi and, as for mobile internet, I bought a SIM card at MTS , the mobile company that has an egg as a logo. I think I paid around $10 for a SIM card filled with enough data for 2 weeks.

Get a VPN for traveling in Belarus

You should always use a VPN when you travel, especially when you connect to public Wi-Fi networks.

Your connection will be much safer. 

Moreover, you will be able to access content which is typically censored in Belarus. 

I recommend ExpressVPN – Extremely easy to use, fast and cheap. 

If you want to learn more about VPN, check: Why you need a VPN for traveling .

💰 Belarus travel guide: about money $

In Belarus, they use the Belarussian ruble (BYR) and approximately :

1 USD = 2.52 BYR

If you look on the internet, you will see that the exchange rate they give for 1USD is 25,000BYR, and well, I guess this is the actual exchange rate but recently, the government switched all coins and notes to brand-new ones whose value was divided by 10,000, so all new notes and coins are worth 1, 2, 5, 20, etc.

Credit cards

Belarus is a modern country, so you find ATMs everywhere and credit cards can be used in many places.

Exchanging money is easy as well, you can do it in any bank, but I don’t recall seeing exchange offices as such.

How much does it cost to travel to Belarus?

Visiting Belarus is cheap as per Western Europe standards, but it is more expensive than its cousins Ukraine and Moldova. Some bars and restaurants in Minsk are as expensive as Spain or Italy. 

Here the most typical costs:

• Eating in a local restaurant – 10-15 rubles
• 3-course meal in a good restaurant – From 30 rubles
• Espresso – 2-3 rubles
• Regular beer in a normal bar – 2-3 rubles
• Hostel for backpackers – $8-$10
• Double room in a guest house – $20-$25
• Mid-range hotel – From $30-$40
• Minsk Metro – 0.65 rubles
• Train journey from Minsk to Grodno – From 10 rubles
• Marshrutka journey from Minsk to Stalin Line – 4 rubles

Average daily budget for traveling to Belarus

Bear in mind that this is an average/approximation.

⚠️ Is it safe to travel in Belarus?

Visiting Belarus is as safe as in any other European country, perhaps even safer.

In Minsk at least, everything is so clean and civilized and I don’t recall seeing any antisocial behavior, something very common in any European capital.

What you do need to keep in mind is that Belarus is heavily militarized and you see soldiers everywhere, so be careful when taking pictures.

On the other hand, remember that KGB is still a thing in Belarus – in Minsk you can see the building from outside – and its core function hasn’t changed much since the fall of the USSR, meaning that they are almost as repressive as they used to be, with the tiny difference that today they control the internet as well, so I recommend you always connect with a VPN when you visit Belarus.

Here you can read how to find the best VPN for travel .

🏨 Accommodation in Belarus

Finding accommodation in Belarus isn’t a problem.

For backpackers, you can find several hostel options in Minsk, Grodno, and Brest.

In the rest of the cities, there are no hostels but guesthouses and economical hostels cost around $20-$25 for a double room and tend to be pretty good.

We always tried to rent full apartments.

You can find all options on Booking.com

🛺 How to move around Belarus: transportation

Traveling by public transportation in Belarus is great.

How to travel around Belarus on a Soviet train

From Uzbekistan to Belarus, the Soviet train experience is the same, same train, same system. From Minsk’s station, you can take a train to practically any city, but if your final destination is a village, you may have to take a bus after.

Furthermore, it is very cheap. One train ticket (economical class) from Minsk to Brest costs 13BYR, around $5, for more than 300km.

Belarus travel tip: You can check timings and book your tickets on this page .

How to travel around Belarus by marshrutka

Marshrutka means mini-bus in Russian, something like that, and it is the common way to move around in all Soviet republics. Usually, they tend to be old and pretty packed but in Belarus, they are brand-new and some of them even have Wi-Fi.

It is slightly more expensive than the train but still cheap. We paid 15 rubles (around $7) for the journey between Brest and Grodno, around 250km.

📚 Best books for backpacking in Belarus

Belarus travel guide by bradt.

A super guide, the one I personally bought. Bradt has the most insightful guides and they always focus on off the beaten track countries.

Eastern Europe travel guide by Lonely Planet (2019)

Otherwise, if you are traveling all around the region, you could also get the generic Eastern Europe guide, which includes one chapter about tourism in Belarus.

I also recommend Svetlana Alexiévich

Belarussian writer and Nobel Prize winner. Her books talk about the Soviet Union, but they always have a special focus on Belarussian people. These are the ones I read:

Voices of Chernobyl – Human stories that explain the consequences of Chernobyl.

Boys in Zinc – A book that compiles testimonies from people who were somehow related to the Afghan-Soviet war, from soldiers to prostitutes and mothers of deceased soldiers.

Get a KINDLE! – Buying a Kindle has been one of my best recent acquisitions.

⛅ Best time to visit Belarus

Visiting belarus in winter.

As you may imagine, the whole country is frozen but, if you don’t mind traveling with snow and your only objective is visiting Minsk and any other cities, it should be all right.

Visiting Belarus in summer

It can get hot but nothing extreme. Best time to explore its nature, especially Braslav Lakes.

Visiting Belarus in spring and autumn

For me, autumn is the best season, especially because of the autumn colors, but spring should be good as well.

I traveled to Belarus during the first 2 weeks of November. We had some gray days, but most days were sunny and the forest was at its best.

❗ More helpful information to visit Belarus

📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.

All guides and articles for traveling in Belarus destination

• Travel Guide to Minsk
• Unusual Things to do in Belarus
• Belarus Itinerary

Travel guides to former Soviet countries

• Georgia Travel Guide
• Ukraine Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Moldova
• Azerbaijan Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Kyrgyzstan
• Travel Guide to Tajikistan
• Uzbekistan Travel Guide
• Kazakhstan Travel Guide

If you found this Belarus travel guide useful and have any comment/suggestion, kindly leave a comment, thanks!

14 comments

Great review! There is something I do not agree with you. Is Europe a democracy? Not anymore I do not think so! To the point that governments feel the right to decide what we should take in our bodies! At least the Belarus government has clear the game on the jab! And are not forcing their citizens to be injected as the European countries and the western world are doing! Europe, US, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, South America governments have blood of innocent people in their hands, corruption is rampant and censorship in scientific research and information from credible sources is far from little!

are we still talking about tourism in Belarus?

Thank you for replying, as you say yourself in your text, is important to understand what is the reality of the country we are visiting, their good and bad. This is a copy and paste from your text: Not sure if you know that Belarus is considered an authoritarian regime, the last dictatorship in Europe and the country with the most long-lasting President.

No press freedom, fraudulent elections, no real separation of powers and the only European country that keeps the death penalty. “..

Do you think there is now a freedom of press in the western world? Are you aware of what governments and press information are covering up and upholding from us in matters that are threatening our own lives and existence?

Do you know how many thousands if not millions have died unnecessary in our countries in the last 2 years and our still dying? If you do not know this information send me an email I will send you where to find it. Maybe you can help to safe one life! Nothing against you! Angry about what is still happening and so much ignorance going on. Take care Still I a nice review! 😉

Hi, very informative, as all your posts! Would be great to get some updated info though. Since it has become really difficult to reach Minsk via plane, do you know how the current situation at the borders is like? can you still travel to Belarus from Poland or Lithuania or are the borders closed?

Hi Ben, I am not entirely sure, but would love to know 🙂

I am from Poland and I am reading about the situation. I am not an expert, but I try to write as much as I know: The land borders are open. Polish and Lithuanian citizens coming from their countries can enter on a visa-free regime (and see every place in the country). How about the other nationalities – I don’t know, but I guess they probably can enter only the visa-free areas as it was before. Getting by air is almost impossible due to sanctions, but if you fly from the country that didn’t impose them, then I believe the visa-free regime is still in force.

I agree with Ben — very informative, as are all your posts. I travel as a tourist, not an investigative journalist. Hope to get to Belarus soon, as a tourist. Thanks for all your good work. Rosemary, 16 April 2023.

Thanks a lot 🙂

Hi, Joan, two more things: 1) You say, “If you want to visit the countryside or the northern forests and lakes, it is better to come outside of the winter months.” But if you’re planning to camp, AVOID JUL AND AUG, because the mosquitoes are fierce and will eat you alive. May, Jun or Sep are the best months for camping. Christa and Wolfgang (Austrians) told me this, and it was their first-hand experience. They barely survived the mossies. 2) You can’t book a hotel in Minsk via Booking.com right now (16 Apr 2023), but it seems you can book directly with the hotels themselves, at least with Hotel Belarus. I tried it this morning as an experiment, and it seemed to work okay. Joan, you’re a man, right? I ask because Joan is a girl’s name in English. Over and out, Rosemary.

Thanks for that Rosemary! Yes, I am a man, Joan is a male name in Catalan language 🙂

Hi Joan, I am a Canadian living in Ireland with friends in Belarus. I want to visit them but since the war they have shut down the visa free travel into Minsk because there are no flights from the EU. I am asking you if I get a proper visa and meet the requirements (ie insurance etc) will I be allowed to cross a land border such as Lithuania? Thanks for your help.

Hi Terry, as far as I know, visas are being issued on arrival and you can fly from Istanbul. I know people who’ve been there recently.

It’s good to hear from you again, Joan. Belarus is still very high up on my travel list. I think foreigners can’t cross into Belarus via a land border, but only by flying into Minsk.

Hi Joan, great article and blog. I am having some problems to find correct/updated information about Visa-free regions Grodno and Brest. On official websites it seems to be still in place, but in Vilnius Eurolines office they told me not. I know you have to get hotel reservations and medical insurance, but I wouldn’t like to get on the bus and be left down at the border. My idea was to travel to Grodno from Vilnius, then move to Brest and from there back to Poland. Can you anyhow verify if this is possible? Thank you so much in advance!

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Review both the Vaccination and Malaria sections on this page to find out if you may need vaccines and/or a malaria risk assessment before you travel to this country.

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• Courses or boosters usually advised: none.
• Other vaccines to consider: Hepatitis A; Hepatitis B; Rabies; Tetanus; Tick-borne Encephalitis.
• Selectively advised vaccines - only for those individuals at highest risk: none.

No yellow fever vaccination certificate required   for this country.

Notes on the diseases mentioned above

Risk is higher where personal hygiene and sanitation is poor.

Risk is higher for long stays, frequent travel and for children (exposed through cuts and scratches), those who may require medical treatment during travel.

• Tetanus :  spread through contamination of cuts, burns and wounds with tetanus spores. Spores are found in soil worldwide. A total of 5 doses of tetanus vaccine are recommended for life in the UK. Boosters are usually recommended in a country or situation where the correct treatment of an injury may not be readily available.
• Tick-borne Encephalitis :  spread mainly through tick bites. Risk is higher during the warmer months between spring to autumn. Spending long periods of time outdoors in forests or rural areas whilst undertaking outdoor activities such as camping, rambling or mountain biking increases your risk.
• Malaria not normally present unless the illness was contracted abroad.

There is a risk of exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) in this country.

Please be aware that the risk of COVID-19 in this country may change at short notice and also consider your risk of exposure in any transit countries and from travelling itself. 

• The 'News' section on this page will advise if significant case increases or outbreaks have occurred in this country.

Prior to travel, you should:

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• 44 additional items in the news archive for this country

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Travel Advisory July 26, 2023

Belarus - level 4: do not travel.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Do not travel to Belarus due to the Belarusian authorities’ continued facilitation of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the buildup of Russian military forces in Belarus, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, the potential of civil unrest, the risk of detention, and the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Belarus. U.S. citizens in Belarus should depart immediately.

On February 28, 2022, the Department of State ordered the departure of U.S. government employees and the suspension of operations of the U.S. Embassy in Minsk. All consular services, routine and emergency, are suspended until further notice.  U.S. citizens in Belarus who require consular services should try to leave the country as soon as possible and contact a U.S. embassy or consulate in another country.

Due to Belarusian authorities’ continued facilitation of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine and given the heightened volatility and unpredictable nature of the regional security environment, do not travel to Belarus.  Potential harassment targeted specifically at foreigners is also possible. 

Exercise increased awareness and vigilance regarding political and military tensions in the region.  U.S. citizens are advised to avoid public demonstrations.  Authorities have used force to disperse demonstrators, including those peacefully demonstrating. Bystanders, including foreign nationals, may face the possibility of arrest or detention.

U.S. citizens should regularly reevaluate possible departure plans in the event of an emergency. Border crossings with neighboring states are sometimes closed with little notice. Additional closures of crossing points along Belarus’ borders with Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, and Ukraine are possible.

Country Summary:  Belarusian authorities have detained tens of thousands of individuals, including U.S. citizens, for alleged affiliations with opposition parties and alleged participation in political demonstrations. U.S. citizens in the vicinity of demonstrations have been arrested. Some have been victims of harassment and/or mistreatment by Belarusian officials. Belarusian authorities have targeted individuals associated with independent and foreign media. On May 23, 2021, Belarusian authorities forced the landing of a commercial aircraft transiting Belarusian airspace in order to arrest an opposition journalist who was a passenger.

Belarus enforces special restrictions on dual U.S.-Belarusian nationals and may refuse to acknowledge dual U.S.-Belarusian nationals’ U.S. citizenship, including denying or delaying U.S. consular assistance to detained dual nationals.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an Advisory Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) prohibiting all U.S. air carriers and commercial operators, U.S. airmen and airwomen, and U.S. registered aircraft from operating at all altitudes in the Minsk Flight Information Region (UMMV). For more information, U.S. citizens should consult the  Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Belarus.

If you decide to travel to Belarus: 

• Have a contingency plan in place that does not rely on U.S. government assistance. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .
• Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas .
• Avoid demonstrations and crowds.
• Monitor local and international media for breaking events and be prepared to adjust your plans based on the new information.
• Ensure travel documents are valid and easily accessible.
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Belarus.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel. 

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U.s. embassy minsk.

46 Starovilenskaya St. Minsk 220002, Belarus Telephone: +(375) (17) 210-1283 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(375) (29) 676-0134 Fax: +(375) (17) 334-7853 [email protected]

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Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

30 Day Visa Free Travel

U.S. passport holders traveling to Belarus via Minsk International Airport may enter visa-free for up to 30 days (the 30-day limit includes the day of arrival and the day of departure) for tourism or business.

Visa-Free Travel Requirements

U.S. citizens wishing to enter Belarus for 30 days without a visa must:

• Hold a valid passport;
• Enter and exit Belarus via Minsk International Airport;
• Arrive from and depart to any country other than the Russian Federation;
• Show evidence of finances in the form of cash, credit cards or travelers checks equivalent to 25 Euros for each day of stay;
• Show evidence of a medical insurance policy with at least 10,000 Euros of coverage valid throughout Belarus. Such a policy may be purchased at the airport upon arrival; please see the Embassy of Belarus website for information about current fees; and
• Register with the local office of the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Ministry of the Interior for stays longer than five working days (see below).

The Visa-free option is not available to you if:

You are coming directly to or from the Russian Federation.

You enter and exit Belarus anywhere other than Minsk International Airport.

You plan to stay longer than 30 days.

You are entering on a diplomatic or official passport.

Travelers who stay longer than 30 days or who violate the visa-free registration rules can face administrative action which may include a fine of up to €550, deportation, and prohibition from entering Belarus in the future.

Visitors to Belarus may request a visa before traveling from the Embassy of Belarus. Instructions for obtaining a visa are available on the Embassy of Belarus website . Please note that the Government of Belarus has the authority to deny entry to any foreign visitor whether or not he/she has a visa.

Travelling between Russia and Belarus 

Car and Train Travel: Belarus and Russia do not have international passport control capabilities at the land border. Therefore, U.S. citizens and other foreigners, even those holding valid visas, may not cross the Belarusian – Russian border by car, train, or on foot. Only Russian and Belarusian passport holders may transit the land border. 

Air Travel: U.S. citizens require a visa in order to travel by air between Belarus and Russia. Regulations regarding travel between Russia and Belarus may change unexpectedly. Even if you already hold a visa, before planning a trip we recommend you visit the Embassy of Belarus website and the website of the Embassy of the Russian Federation for the latest information.

Registration

All U.S. citizens staying in Belarus for more than five business days are required to register with the local office of the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior (formerly OVIR). This requirement applies to visa holders and those who enter Belarus under the 30-day visa-free regime. Please keep in the mind the following:

• Registration must be completed within five business days of arrival.
• If you are staying in a hotel, the hotel will complete the registration for you.
• If you have a short term rental of an apartment or house, be sure to check with the rental agent; they may be able to assist you.
• If you are staying in a private home, you must complete the registration process yourself.
• If you fail to register or if you remain in Belarus longer than 30 days you will face administrative action which may include a fine of up to €550, deportation, and prohibition from entering Belarus in the future.
• Foreign citizens entering on a tourist or business visa may not stay in Belarus for more than 90 days total during any calendar year, including dates of entry and departure.

Visit the Belarusian Embassy web site for the latest information regarding entry requirements for traveling to Belarus.

Transiting Schengen Countries : 

Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay if you plan on transiting a Schengen country.

You will need sufficient proof of funds and a return airline ticket .

For additional details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our Schengen page .

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to Belarus on a 30-day visit. Long-term residents (those spending more than 90 days a year in Belarus) or students must obtain an HIV/AIDS test in Belarus and submit the results to the Department of Citizenship and Migration when applying for an extension of stay or residency. We recommend you verify this information with the Embassy of Belarus before you travel.

You will find information on  dual nationality , prevention of international child abduction and customs regulations on our websites.

Safety and Security

Credible information indicates terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Europe. European governments are taking action to guard against terrorist attacks. All European countries remain potentially vulnerable to attacks from transnational terrorist organizations.

Demonstrations intended to be peaceful can sometimes become confrontational. For this reason, it is recommended that U.S. citizens avoid all demonstrations and protest gatherings.

• Demonstrations, both organized and spontaneous, are infrequent in Belarus. Localized street disturbances relating to political events are more likely in Minsk or larger cities than in smaller towns and villages.
• Authorities have used force to disperse demonstrators, including those who are peacefully demonstrating.
• Bystanders, including foreign nationals, may face the possibility of arrest or detention . 

Foreigners may be placed under surveillance . Hotel rooms, telephones, and fax machines may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms may be searched. 

Taking photographs of anything that could be perceived as being of military or security interest may result in problems with authorities; these sites are not always clearly marked and application of these restrictions is subject to interpretation. 

Crime:  Belarus has a low rate of street crime. Violent crime against foreigners is rare; criminals have been known to use force if met with resistance from victims. 

• Common street crime, such as mugging and pickpocketing, occurs most frequently near public transportation venues, near hotels frequented by foreigners, and/or at night in poorly-lit areas.
• Exercise caution when visiting bars, casinos and night clubs, and do not leave your drink unattended. There have been reports of travelers being drugged and subsequently robbed or assaulted while visiting night clubs.
• Prostitutes at hotels may attempt to open hotel room doors in search of customers.
• Local and transnational organized criminal activity exists in Belarus. Most casinos and adult clubs are operated by criminal elements and should be avoided.
• Theft of vehicle parts and car vandalism is common. Sport-utility and luxury vehicles tend to be the most sought-after. Parking in a secure area overnight is highly recommended.

Internet-Dating Schemes and Cyber-Crime: "Internet brides" are advertised on several websites and are not always legitimate. Often, potential suitors in the United States lose thousands of dollars sending money to people they have never met and will never hear from again. In some cases, the foreigner is invited to visit Belarus; the Belarusian “friend” collects money for lodging and transportation expenses and then disappears.

Cyber-crime is well developed in Belarus. Merchandise orders with fraudulent credit cards, ID theft, hacking/blackmail schemes, and advance-fee fraud are gaining in popularity. If doing business electronically with persons or firms in Belarus, proceed with extreme caution.

• Use only ATMs located inside major banks.
• Use of credit and debit cards is not recommended; there have been reports of U.S. citizens having their ATM or credit cards skimmed resulting in fraudulent charges or money stolen from their accounts.
• Be aware that due to a lack of tourism infrastructure in Belarus, transferring funds from abroad, replacing stolen traveler's checks or airline tickets, or canceling credit cards can be difficult in Belarus.

Counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. Transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law. In addition, bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines.

Sophisticated criminal investigations may be inconclusive because of a lack of resources and/or political will.

We have received reports of harassment of U.S. citizens at border crossings. We recommend that you report any crimes immediately to the local police and to the U.S. Embassy in Minsk.

See the  Department of State  and the  FBI  pages for information on scams.  

Victims of Crime: Report crimes to the local police by dialing 102 and contact the U.S. Embassy at +375 17 210 1283. Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crime that occurs in Belarus. 

The local equivalents to the “911” emergency lines in Belarus are: 101 for Fire and Rescue Squad; 102 for Police; and 103 for Ambulance (Medical Emergency). 

See our webpage on help for U.S. victims of crime overseas . 

• help you find appropriate medical care
• assist you in reporting a crime to the police
• contact relatives or friends with your written consent
• explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
• provide a list of local attorneys
• provide our information on victim’s compensation programs in the U.S.
• provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution
• help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
• replace a stolen or lost passport

Domestic Violence: U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the U.S. Embassy for assistance. 

Tourism: The tourism industry is unevenly regulated, and safety inspections for equipment and facilities do not commonly occur. Hazardous areas/activities are not always identified with appropriate signage, and staff may not be trained or certified either by the host government or by recognized authorities in the field. In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is typically available only in/near major cities. First responders are generally unable to access areas outside of major cities and to provide urgent medical treatment. U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance . 

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. 

Furthermore, some crimes are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law.  For examples, see our website on crimes against minors abroad and the Department of Justice website. 

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our webpage for further information. 

Under local law, any agency that detains a foreigner should inform the local Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) within 24 hours from the time of detention. The MFA, in its turn, must notify the respective embassy as soon as possible. The time of such notifications has varied from several hours to several weeks. Therefore, we recommend that if travelers have a chance to inform friends or relatives about their arrest, they should request that their friends or relatives notify the U.S. Embassy on their behalf as soon as possible.  

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES 

• Belarusian banks provide limited cash withdrawals in Belarusian rubles from major credit cards. Please see notes on cyber-crime, above, regarding the security of ATMs.
• Authorized currency exchange centers are widely available throughout major cities.
• It is a criminal offense to exchange payment in U.S. dollars to firms or individuals without a special license.
• Only a few large firms are licensed to accept U.S. dollars . Travelers are advised to only use widely available licensed exchange locations.
• ATMs are available for use; credit and debit cards are widely accepted in major cities and towns; however use caution (see cyber-crime above).

Identification:

• Carry your passport at all times.
• Police have the authority to stop you and request identification. If you fail to provide your ID, you may be detained by the police until your identity is established.

Radiation: 

The 1986 release of nuclear material from the Chernobyl nuclear station in Ukraine affected Belarus. The city of Minsk was mostly spared, but other areas of Belarus were badly contaminated. Several years of monitoring have shown that radiation levels in Minsk are within internationally acceptable standards, and periodic testing of foodstuffs from various locations in Belarus has not revealed a level of radiation that would be considered harmful.

Marriages in Belarus:

• Consult the U.S. Embassy Minsk website for information on getting married in Belarus .
• Marriages must be performed at a registrar’s office (ZAGS- Office of Matrimonial Acts Registration) to be legally valid in Belarus. 

Faith-Based Travelers: See the following webpages for details:

• Faith-Based Travel Information
• International Religious Freedom Report – see country reports
• Human Rights Report – see country reports
• Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers
• Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad

LGBTI Travelers: Same-sex relations are not illegal in Belarus, but discrimination against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTI) community is widespread, and harassment against LGBTI individuals has occurred in the past. For more detailed information about LGBTI rights in Belarus you may review the State Department’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2017. See our LGBTI Travel Information page and section 6 of our Human Rights report for further details.  

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance: In Belarus, many buildings and most public transportation systems are not well adapted for individuals with disabilities. Before visiting Belarus, check ahead with your hotel/destination to learn more about options to accommodate disabled travelers. 

Students: See our Students Abroad page and FBI travel tips . 

Women Travelers: See our travel tips for Women Travelers . 

Medical care in Belarus is neither modern nor easily accessible. Hospitals and medical facilities are below U. S. standards and lack basic supplies. Trauma care is well below U.S. standards; Belarus lacks the level of care and competence to deal with serious injuries.

• Standard U.S. health insurance plans are not accepted in Belarus.
• Ambulances are poorly equipped and unreliable . It is not unusual to wait 30 minutes for an ambulance.
• Consider purchasing medical evacuation insurance prior to traveling to Belarus.
• There are no air ambulance services in Belarus.
• The government requires all visitors show evidence of valid purchase health insurance . You may purchase local health insurance at your point of entry.
• The medical emergency number for Belarus is 103

We do not pay medical bills. Be aware that U.S. Medicare does not apply overseas.  

Medical Insurance:   The government requires all visitors to purchase local health insurance or show evidence of a policy with international coverage that includes Belarus. You may purchase the local health insurance at the points of entry. If you plan to use international medical insurance purchased outside Belarus, be sure to check with the Embassy of Belarus to be sure your policy is acceptable. See our webpage for more information on overseas insurance coverage .

We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover a potential medical evacuation.

If traveling with prescription medication:  

• You must carry your prescription medication in the original packaging
• You should have the written prescription from your doctor.
• You should check with the government of Belarus, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs  to ensure your medication is legal in Belarus. 
• Some common medications in the U.S., such as opioid pain relievers, are illegal in Belarus.
• Belarusian officials have confiscated these drugs from travelers.

The following diseases are prevalent: Tuberculosis (TB) is an increasingly serious health concern in Belarus. For further information, please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) information on TB .

Vaccinations: Be up-to-date on all vaccinations recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Further health information:

• World Health Organization
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety :  Generally, roads in Belarus are in good condition, but modern cars share the highways with tractors, horse-drawn carts, and pedestrians.

• Driving under the influence is common despite a strict zero-tolerance law.
• Speed bumps are common, even on major streets in large cities.
• If you are involved in an accident, remain at the scene until police arrive unless your personal safety is in danger.
• Drive with caution at all times. Potholes, unlit or poorly lit streets, and dark-clothed pedestrians walking on roads are common dangers.
• Drivers are expected to yield to pedestrians at road signs and intersections not controlled by traffic signals or road police.
• Belarus has a toll system which requires payment when using certain specifically identified roads. Passenger motor vehicles registered outside the Eurasian Customs Union countries (Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia) must pay for use of a number of  such major roads. Detailed information regarding toll roads, distribution points, and penalties for not paying tolls can be found at Bell Toll website

Traffic Laws:   

• Fines vary for driving under the influence. Those who commit a repeat offence within 365 days of a previous violation may be subject to criminal prosecution and possibly sentenced for to up to six months in prison or up to two years of corrective labor.
• Using hand-held mobile devices while driving is prohibited.

Public Transportation :  When traveling on public transportation of any kind, be wary of pickpocketing and other petty crime. There are several rental car agencies currently operating in Minsk; however, rental-car networks are not well developed.

• Radio-dispatched taxi services are metered, generally reliable, arrive promptly, and usually offer the lowest fare.
• Uber currently operates in Minsk.
• The use of informal, unregistered taxis is not recommended.
• Minsk has a clean, safe, and efficient subway system that reaches outside the city center.

See our Road Safety page for more information. Visit the website of Belarus’ national tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety.

Aviation Safety Oversight:   As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Belarus, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Belarus’ Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page .

For additional travel information

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
• Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
• See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

Review information about International Parental Child Abduction in Belarus .  For additional IPCA-related information, please see the  International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act ( ICAPRA )  report.

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Long regarded by travellers as little more than a curiosity, Belarus has suddenly emerged as one of Europe’s ‘it’ destinations. Fuelling that rise are relaxed visa requirements, a sneaky-good art and cafe scene, and hospitable locals. While political dissent remains muted, the country seems to be having fun again.

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Alexander Lukashenko says Moscow concert attackers ‘tried to flee to Belarus’

Dictator’s remarks undermine Kremlin’s claim terrorists were backed by Ukraine and planned to escape there

The Crocus City Hall terrorist attackers tried to flee to Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko said in a statement undermining Vladimir Putin.

The Belarusian dictator’s remarks contradict claims by the Kremlin and top Russian security officials that the attackers were backed by Ukraine and tried to escape there as part of a pre-arranged plan.

Speaking to Belarus media, Mr Lukashenko said he closed the border with Russia following a personal request from Mr Putin in the aftermath of the atrocity.

“He asked me, ‘will you help me close [the Russian-Belarusian border]?’” Lukashenko said in remarks carried by the official Belta news agency. “He said, ‘I will. We’re doing everything’. That was the conversation.”

“That’s why they turned around and went toward the Ukrainian-Russian section of the border.”

On Monday evening, Putin said in televised remarks that Islamist radicals had carried out the attack but that it appeared to have been orchestrated by Ukraine.

He has insisted that the attackers intended to cross into Ukraine after their Moscow rampage.

Terrorists gunned down at least 139 people at the Crocus City Hall concert venue outside Moscow on Friday night.

The Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack , which was the worst in Russia for 20 years.

Four suspects were detained in Bryansk region, which borders both Ukraine and Belarus, several hours later.

The Russian-Belarusian border is usually relatively loosely policed in accordance with a union-state agreement between the two countries.

The Bloomberg News agency reported on Tuesday that four sources close to the Kremlin said the government knows there is no evidence of involvement by Ukraine .

One person told the agency that Mr Putin was at a meeting where officials agreed Ukraine was not linked to the attack but that the president is determined to use his unproven claim to rally support for the war .

The Telegraph could not immediately confirm the report.

Alexander Bortnikov, the head of the FSB, Russia’s internal security agency, said on Tuesday that Britain, the United States, and Ukraine were all linked to the attack.

Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Russia’s security council, said “of course Ukraine” when asked who he believed was responsible.

Ukraine has rejected allegations that it was involved and suggested Russia orchestrated it as a false-flag attack. The United States and France have said Islamic State organised the attack and acted alone.

His comments came as Russian authorities arrested an eighth man in connection with the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack.

Alisher Kasimov, a Russian citizen born in Kyrgyzstan, is accused of renting a flat to the attackers, Russian media reported. He said in court on Tuesday morning he did not know of their plans.

Officials said he was ordered to be held in detention until at least May 22, without detailing the exact accusations against him.

The four suspected attackers were detained on Saturday after several hours on the run.

Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, 32; Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, 30; Shamsidin Fariduni, 25; and Mukhammadsobir Faizov, 19 have been remanded in custody until May 22.

All four showed signs of beatings and torture when they were arraigned in court over the weekend. Footage released on Wagner-affiliated Telegram channels showed security officers electrocuting one of the men with a field telephone wired to his genitals. Another video showed an officer cutting off Rachabalizod’s right ear and pushing it into his mouth.

Three other men, all from the same family, were arrested on Monday evening on suspicion of assisting the attackers by providing the getaway vehicle.

Brothers Dilovar and Aminchon Islomov have been charged with terrorism. Their father Isroil Islomov has not been charged but is considered a suspect, Meduza reported.

Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, said on Monday that the three, who live in the city of Tver northwest of Moscow, were believed to be part of the terrorist group and assisted the attackers by providing the vehicle, a flat, and moving money for them.

Dilovar Islomov told Novaya Gazeta Europe he and his brother turned themselves in when they recognised the white Renault used by the attackers as the car he had sold to his wife’s brother a week previously. He said they were innocent of involvement in the terror attack.

The arrests came as further details emerged of the suspected attackers’ movements before Friday night.

At least two had recently travelled between Russia and Turkey.

A Turkish official told the AFP news agency that Saidakrami and Fariduni “were able to travel freely between Russia and Turkey since there was no warrant for their arrest”.

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Four suspects in Moscow concert hall terror attack appear in court

Footage of gunmen reinforces Islamic State’s claim to have masterminded worst terror attack on Russia in two decades

Four suspects have appeared in court in Moscow charged over the terrorist attack on the Crocus City concert hall on Friday that left 137 people dead.

The men were officially identified as citizens of Tajikistan, the Tass state news agency said, and were remanded in custody for two months at Sunday’s hearing.

The court released a video showing police officers bringing one of the suspects into the courtroom in handcuffs, as well as photographs of the same man sitting in a glass cage for defendants. One of the suspects was led blindfolded into the courtroom. When his blindfold was removed, a black eye was visible. Another suspect was brought into the courtroom in a wheelchair.

The men, identified as Saidakrami Murodali Rachabalizoda, Dalerdzhon Barotovich Mirzoyev, Shamsidin Fariduni and Muhammadsobir Fayzov, face charges of a “terror attack committed by a group of individuals resulting in a person’s death”, according to the Tass news agency. All four pleaded guilty.

Earlier on Sunday, Islamic State had released new footage of the attack, corroborating the terror group’s claim to have masterminded the slaughter even as Russia has sought to place the blame on Ukraine, which Kyiv denies.

The incident near Moscow is the deadliest IS-claimed assault on European soil and the deadliest attack by any group in Russia since the 2004 Beslan siege.

The footage, published by IS’s news agency Amaq, showed gunmen filming themselves as they hunted victims in the lobby of the hall and fired from point-blank range, killing scores of people. At one point, one gunmen tells another to “kill them and have no mercy”.

Vladimir Putin said 11 people had been detained, including the four gunmen. Russia’s investigative committee released a video earlier yesterday showing the suspects being led, blindfolded, into its headquarters.

Russia observed a nationwide day of mourning on Sunday for the worst terror attack on the country’s soil in two decades, as the official number of wounded rose to 154. Russian authorities have said they expect the death toll to rise with at least one dozen victims still in critical condition.

Thousands of people brought flowers and other tributes to the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, as local emergency workers say they are still continuing to search for anyone who may be left wounded or dead inside the severely damaged entertainment complex.

Putin has not yet visited the site of the shooting. The Kremlin published footage showing the president lighting a candle at a church at his residence outside Moscow on Sunday evening to honour those who died.

Foreign embassies in Moscow have also voiced their solidarity with the victims of the terrorist attack. Flags were lowered to half-mast at the embassies of the US, the UK and the Netherlands amid high tensions over the war in Ukraine .

The Russian leader also claimed, without evidence, that Ukraine had “prepared a window” for the terrorists to cross the border from Russia into Ukraine. Kyiv has vociferously denied any links to the attack and has indicated that it believes Moscow is preparing a pretext to escalate the conflict.

The US has said it received intelligence that the terror group acted alone. “Isis bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever,” the national security council spokesperson, Adrienne Watson, said in a statement.

Russian officials and state media have largely ignored IS’s claims to be behind the attacks. Meduza, an independent Russian-language website, has reported that Russian state-funded and pro-government media had been instructed by the Putin administration to emphasise possible “traces” of Ukrainian involvement in the attack, according to two state media employees.

Olga Skabeyeva, a prominent state television host, claimed on Telegram that Ukrainian military intelligence had recruited assailants “who would look like Isis. But this is no Isis”.

Putin did not name the Islamist terror group during his public statements on the attack, while directly accusing the “Ukrainian side” of involvement. IS also released a photograph of the purported gunmen before the attack. Researchers have noted that their clothing matches that worn by some of the attackers.

On Sunday, the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, disregarded the US intelligence reports that IS was behind the attacks. “I wish they could have solved the assassination of their own President Kennedy so quickly,” she wrote on Telegram. “But no, for more than 60 years they have not been able to find out who killed him after all. Or maybe that was Isis too?”

“Until the investigation into the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall is completed, any phrase from Washington exonerating Kyiv should be considered as evidence,” she added. “After all, the financing of terrorist activities of the Kyiv organised criminal group by the American liberal democrats and participation in the corrupt schemes of the Biden family have been going on for many years.”

Fresh details have emerged of how the gunmen stormed the concert hall and began firing into crowds of people, then set fire to the building and fled the scene, leading to a fevered manhunt for the terrorists. The Russian investigative committee said those killed in the concert hall died of gunshot wounds and “poisoning” related to the fire.

The gunmen appear to have planned the attack carefully, setting fires by an emergency stairwell in order to herd people toward a killing zone in the middle of the lobby.

The men were caught in the southern Bryansk region, where authorities said they disabled their vehicle, and then apprehended several of the suspects as they fled into a nearby forest. New videos have been published showing Russian security forces interrogating the men, at least one of whom spoke Tajik during an interrogation. Tajikistan’s foreign ministry initially denied that the suspects were citizens of the country.

In a phone call on Sunday, Putin and the Tajikistan leader, Emomali Rahmon, “noted that security services and relevant agencies of Russia and Tajikistan are working closely in countering terrorism, and this work will be intensified”.

Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) has previously been reported to have recruited radicalised nationals from central Asia, including Tajikistan.

Some of the videos of the interrogations suggest that the men were tortured by Russian security services. One of the clips, circulated by Russian bloggers, appears to show members of the security forces cutting off the ear of a man who is later interrogated over the attack and then stuffing it into his mouth. Another appears to show security forces beating a suspect with their rifle butts and kicking him as he lies in the snow.

Russian independent media noted that the officer who apparently cut off the ear of the suspect was wearing patches that indicated his support for neo-Nazi groups and appeared to have contact with the far-right Rusich paramilitary group, which is active in Ukraine. The patches included a black sun and a symbol resembling the Totenkopf – or death’s head – worn by several Nazi divisions.

Experts have described Friday’s attack as a failure of the country’s sprawling security services, which have been distracted by the war in Ukraine and a relentless crackdown on political opposition at home.

“The FSB obviously had their priorities wrong. They had their main resources on Ukraine and on the domestic opposition,” said Mark Galeotti, an expert on the Russian security services.

“What is striking is the catastrophic incompetence of our security services,” Ivan Zhdanov, the former head of late opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s anti-corruption foundation, told AFP.

Andrei Soldatov, a leading Russian researcher, wrote that the FSB had become “very efficient and innovative at repression … But these are not the qualities that help to prevent attacks happening, and time and again the FSB has failed as an intelligence collection agency because other things are needed: information-sharing capabilities between agencies, both domestic and foreign, and trust between those agencies and within those agencies.”

Meanwhile, Jeremy Hunt said that the UK should “absolutely” be concerned about the threat that IS poses to the country after the terror attack in Moscow.

“We are very lucky in this country that we have incredibly impressive intelligence agencies, who have been successful in stopping, in foiling a lot of terrorist threats over recent years,” the British chancellor told Sky News.

“But we have to remain vigilant. And if it is Islamic State, they are utterly indiscriminate in what they do. They’re prepared to murder in the most horrific way.”

• Moscow concert hall attack
• Islamic State
• Vladimir Putin

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Russia-Ukraine latest: Putin signs conscription decree; Russia 'will certainly gain more land', Musk warns

Vladimir Putin has signed a decree setting out the routine spring conscription campaign. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has said Russia "will certainly gain more land" and it was "a tragic waste of life for Ukraine to attack a larger army" in a statement on X.

Sunday 31 March 2024 13:30, UK

• Putin signs conscription decree calling up 150,000 men 
• Russia 'will certainly gain more land', Musk warns
• Missiles and drones launched at Ukraine
• Explained: How the war has strayed outside Ukraine's borders
• Listen to the Daily podcast above and  tap here  to follow wherever you get your podcasts
• Live reporting by Bhvishya Patel

France will deliver hundreds of old armoured vehicles and new surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine, French defence minister Sebastien Lecornu has said. 

In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche , Mr Lecornu said that President Emmanuel Macron, following talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, had asked him to prepare a new aid package, which will include old but still functional French equipment.

"The Ukrainian army needs to defend a very long frontline, which requires armoured vehicles; this is absolutely crucial for troop mobility and is part of the Ukrainian requests," he said.

He said France was looking at providing hundreds of frontline troop carriers this year and early 2025.

Mr Lecornu added that France was also preparing to release a new batch of surface-to-air missiles.

He added: "Ukraine has an urgent need for better ground-air defence. Russia is intensifying its strikes, in particular on civilians and civil infrastructure."

The Russian air force has conducted a massive strike on energy and gas facilities in Ukraine, Russia's defence ministry has said.

The ministry said that it used "high-precision long-range air based weapons" and drones.

"As a result of this strike, the operation of defence industry enterprises involved in the manufacture and repair of weapons, equipment and ammunition has been disrupted," the ministry said.

"All the goals of the strike have been achieved. The assigned objects were hit."

Russia has conducted a counter-terrorism operation in the southern region of Dagestan today, detaining three people, the country's national anti-terrorism committee has said.

Russia is on high alert following a mass shooting at a concert hall in Moscow on 22 March - the deadliest attack in the country in 20 years, with at least 144 killed.

"Security agencies detained three bandits who were planning a number of terrorist offences," the committee said today.

"During the inspection of the places where the criminals were detained, automatic weapons, ammunition and an improvised explosive device ready for use were found."

Ukrainian troops have been firing self-propelled howitzers at Russian forces in southern Ukraine.

Fighting is currently at a standstill with Russian forces having made small territorial gains.

The head of Ukraine's largest private energy firms DTEK has said that five of its six plants have been damaged or destroyed with, 80% of its generating capacity lost after two weeks of Russian attacks 

Russian missile and drone attacks hit thermal and hydro power plants in central and western Ukraine overnight on Friday.

And last night Volodymyr Zelenskiyy said Russia was carrying out "vile strikes" designed to cause the "bleeding" of Ukrainian energy.

Now, DTEK executive director Dmytro Sakharuk has said that waves of attacks on 22 March and 29 March had hit thermal and hydro production "in almost all regions" and that distribution facilities were destroyed.

"To be specific, five out of six of our stations were severely damaged, some units were destroyed, some were damaged by 50% or more," he said.

He went on to say that repairs could take up to 18 months.

Vladimir Putin has signed a decree setting out the routine spring conscription campaign, calling up 150,000 citizens for statutory military service, a document posted on the Kremlin's website shows.

All men in Russia are required to do a year-long military service, or equivalent training during higher education, from the age of 18.

In July, Russia's lower house of parliament voted to raise the maximum age at which men can be conscripted to 30 from 27.

The new legislation came into effect on  1 January this year.

In Russia, many men go to great lengths to avoid being handed conscription papers during the twice-yearly call-up periods.

Conscripts cannot legally be deployed to fight outside Russia and were exempted from a limited mobilisation in 2022 that gathered at least 300,000 men with previous military training to fight in Ukraine - although some conscripts were sent to the front in error.

In September, Mr Putin signed an order calling up 130,000 people for the autumn campaign and last spring Russia planned to conscript 147,000.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will use his Easter sermon to call for "love-in-action" to help those caught up in conflict, including people in Ukrainian cities.

Justin Welby will tell Canterbury Cathedral today that the church is not party political and that Christian belief calls for "courageous action" to address wrongs.

"Let us seek action amongst the starving children of Gaza and Sudan - and the parents who try desperately to find food for them, action for the hostages held by Hamas, action for those in the trenches and cities and fears of Ukraine, action in at least 30 but probably closer to 50 other places of armed conflict, action for the 25-30% of children in this country in poverty," he will say in his Easter address.

He will tell also congregants "we must confront evil and pain".

Elon Musk has said Russia "will certainly gain more land than they have today". 

In a statement on X, the Tesla boss said it was "a tragic waste of life for Ukraine to attack a larger army that had defence in depth, minefields and stronger artillery".

He said his "recommendation a year ago was for Ukraine to entrench and apply all resources to defence". 

"There is no chance of Russia taking all of Ukraine, as the local resistance would be extreme in the west, but Russia will certainly gain more land than they have today," he wrote.

"The longer the war goes on, the more territory Russia will gain until they hit the Dnipro, which is tough to overcome. However, if the war lasts long enough, Odessa will fall too."

He went on to say the question remained as to whether Ukraine would lose all access to the Black Sea.

"I recommend a negotiated settlement before that happens," he added.

Russia launched 16 missiles and 11 drones at Ukraine in an overnight air attack, Ukraine's air force has said this morning.

In a statement on Telegram, the air force said it had managed to down nine of the drones and nine of the missiles. 

It did not identify their targets.

For over a week, Russia has significantly stepped up an air strike campaign against Ukrainian energy facilities, causing significant damage and leaving Ukrainians fearing a return to the blackouts seen in the first winter of the full-scale war.

Ukraine's largest private energy firm, DTEK, said yesterday that five of its six plants had been damaged or destroyed with 80% of its generating capacity lost, and that repairs could take up to 18 months.

Welcome back to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Yesterday saw Russia launch another wave of drones and missiles at Ukraine as it continued its air strike campaign against the country's energy infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed a senior aide and several other advisers in the latest reshuffle of top government figures.

In other news from the past 24 hours: 

• Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Europe was in a "pre-war" era and that "any scenario" was possible;
• Ukrainian official Ruslan Kravchenko said nearly 10,000 concrete pyramids known as "dragon's teeth" had been installed around the Kyiv region as a line of defence against Russian forces;
• Foreign diplomats gathered at Crocus City Hall near Moscow to lay flowers in memory of those killed in last week's attack;
• The UK's Ministry of Defence said Russia "maintains a significant quantitative advantage" in the war.

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Lukashenko says concert hall attackers first headed for Belarus, contradicting Putin

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The Russian air force has conducted a massive strike on objects of energy infrastructure and the gas industry in Ukraine, Russian defence ministry said on Sunday.

Philippines boosts maritime security as China tension rises

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has ordered his government to strengthen its coordination on maritime security to confront "a range of serious challenges" to territorial integrity and peace, as a dispute with China escalates.

Belarus' Lukashenko Inspects Forces Near Lithuanian Border

Belarus' Lukashenko Inspects Forces Near Lithuanian Border

FILE PHOTO: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting of the Supreme State Council of Russia-Belarus Union State in Saint Petersburg, Russia, January 29, 2024. Sputnik/Pavel Bednyakov/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko inspected a tank battalion near the Lithuanian border and gave orders that any "provocation" there must be met with force, a Telegram channel close to his administration said on Tuesday.

"I will say publicly: any provocation must be stopped by military means," Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was quoted as saying.

"Any violation of the state border is a shoot-to-kill."

Lithuania, a European Union and NATO member that has offered support to Belarus' opposition, has seen its relations with Minsk deteriorate sharply in recent years.

(Writing by Felix Light and Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

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