How to Stay in Touch with Loved Ones from Belarus

Published on April 22, 2026 and written by Cyril Jarnias

Staying in touch with family or friends while living in or traveling to Belarus is not a simple matter. The internet is heavily controlled, some foreign services are blocked, laws punish the use of circumvention tools, and even sending a simple package can be complicated by international sanctions. Yet, millions of people continue to call, write, chat, send photos, and mail packages every day.

A Monitored Digital Environment

Belarus is regularly described as one of Europe’s most repressive countries for press and internet freedom. The authorities control most of the media, maintain a blacklist of sites to block, and possess advanced technical means to monitor online communications.

Blocks, DPI, and Repressive Laws

The government views social networks as potential vectors for dissent. After the contested 2020 presidential election, massive protests erupted. In response, authorities intensified repression and multiplied disruptions: internet access was cut off nationwide for approximately 61 hours on election day, and repeatedly in the following weeks. Each day of blackout is estimated to cause over $50 million in economic losses, illustrating both the scale of the cuts and the difficulty of maintaining them for long periods.

The legal risk is real: openly criticizing President Aliaksandr Lukashenka can lead to several years in prison, and simply subscribing to a channel or group deemed “extremist” on a platform can result in prosecution with sentences of up to seven years.

In this context, staying in contact with loved ones from Belarus is not just a technical challenge, but also a legal and security one. One must choose their tools, how to use them, and what to say on them.

The Most Used Messaging Apps

Despite the blocks, the mobile ecosystem is very active. More than 4.8 million people in Belarus use messaging apps, roughly half the population. The vast majority (over 93%) do so on Android, dominated by entry-level and mid-range models (Xiaomi Redmi 9A, Redmi 9, Redmi Note 8, etc.). Three major mobile operators (MTS, A1, Life) provide most connections.

What Tools Do Belarusians Really Use?

Communication app rankings on Android show a mix of global tools and local services. The following table gives an overview of the most installed communication applications in the country.

Telegram, Viber, and WhatsApp clearly form the top trio for chatting with loved ones, whether they are in Belarus or abroad. Mobile operator apps (Мой МТС, Мой А1, Life) are essential for managing plans, monitoring usage, paying, and activating data or roaming options, which directly impacts the quality of calls and chats.

Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp: Uses and Limits

2025 statistics show how deeply these apps are embedded in daily digital life:

Telegram has established itself as a key tool not only for chatting, but also for following news channels, finding housing or work, and community organizing. Its ability to handle massive groups and public channels makes it a pivot of social and political life, although its end-to-end encrypted “secret chats” are not enabled by default.

Social Networks and Social Connection

In parallel, general social networks play an important role in maintaining daily connections: stories, photos, short videos, comments. 2025 data indicates that Instagram holds about a 68% market share, Facebook over 55%, and VK (VKontakte) nearly 50%. TikTok, its Lite variants, and Russian-speaking networks (VK, OK, Likee, Cheelee) complete this landscape.

– Instagram, VK, and TikTok are mainly used to share life moments, follow family or friend updates, and maintain a sense of closeness.

– Telegram and Viber are preferred for continuous conversations and voice/video calls.

– Facebook and, to a lesser extent, X/Twitter, allow for keeping an eye on international events and the diaspora.

However, some of these services can be blocked, slowed down, or pushed into legal gray areas when they host content deemed “extremist” by the authorities.

Internet: Sufficient for Calls, but Unstable

To understand what is actually possible from Belarus, one must look at the state of connections. Recent measurements show a clear improvement compared to the 2010s: average speeds are now largely compatible with good quality video calls, provided the connection is not intentionally degraded or cut.

Typical Speeds in 2025

Aggregated tests from the first quarter of 2025 provide the following panorama:

The operator A1 regularly tops the tests, with averages above 50 Mbps for fixed and around 22 Mbps for mobile. Beltelecom, the historical public operator (byfly / YASNA), and MTS also offer decent fiber and ADSL plans, with tiers from 15 to 500 Mbps depending on the package.

– a stable connection around 5 Mbps is sufficient for standard HD (Zoom, Teams, or Meet often recommend 3–5 Mbps);

– for comfortable Full HD, it is recommended to aim for 5 to 10 Mbps;

– a simple audio call only requires a few hundred kilobits per second.

In theory, the Belarusian infrastructure is therefore largely sufficient for holding good quality video calls with most loved ones abroad. In practice, slowdowns, latency spikes, or “political” outages can sometimes ruin everything.

Optimizing Video Calls

A few simple technical steps allow you to make the most of a sometimes capricious connection:

These technical precautions do not eliminate problems in case of blocks or filtering, but they help reduce dropouts related to simple network congestion.

Bypassing Censorship: VPNs, Tor, and Specialized Tools

In this controlled landscape, access to certain foreign news sites or social networks often requires circumvention tools. Their use, however, raises several major difficulties: they are officially banned, regularly targeted technically, and can expose users to sanctions.

Legal Status and Risks

VPNs, Tor, and proxy servers are officially banned in Belarus. The degree of enforcement of this ban is debated: on one hand, authorities do not seem to have unlimited means to detect and sanction every user; on the other, periods of targeted tightening, especially during political crises, are documented.

Users caught red-handed using these tools face fines, or even detention. The DPI equipment deployed on the network can detect certain VPN protocols and block the most visible services.

In practice, this pushes users to adopt more sophisticated technologies, which are harder to detect.

Commonly Used Tools

The three main families of circumvention tools are:

– classic VPNs, with or without obfuscation;

– Tor (browser or Tor bridges);

– “distributed” VPN services like Lantern, NewNode, Psiphon.

VPNs often remain the go-to solution for securing communications and accessing blocked services. Several brands are frequently recommended for use in censored environments:

Tools like Lantern, NewNode, or Psiphon work differently: their traffic is disguised as authorized flows and their protocols change frequently to evade DPI. They are particularly popular in countries where VPNs are blocked at the protocol level.

Tor, via the dedicated browser or the Orbot app on Android, allows for strongly anonymizing traffic by routing it through multiple encrypted relays. The use of Tor “bridges,” which are less detectable, increased significantly in Belarus during the 2020 blackouts.

Finally, some browsers offer useful built-in features:

Essential Precautions

For a VPN or Tor to truly protect you, a few rules are essential:

– enable obfuscation and the “kill switch” (cuts the connection if the VPN fails);

– check for DNS or IP leaks via online tests;

– avoid unreliable free VPNs that may sell data, severely limit bandwidth, or contain invasive ads;

– don’t imagine yourself untouchable: even when encrypted, metadata (times, volumes, recipients) can remain visible, especially if the tool is misconfigured.

Above all, these tools should not be seen as a blank check for clearly illegal activities in the country. Simply accessing content considered “extremist” or resharing it remains punishable, even through an encrypted tunnel.

Staying in Contact Without Internet: Radios, Offline Messaging, Satellite

The brutal outages of 2020 showed one thing: if the main “pipes” are shut (cutting the internet backbone, simultaneous blocking of major operators), VPNs, Tor, and proxies become inoperative. In such cases, one must switch to communication means independent of the local infrastructure.

Consumer and Amateur Radios

Personal radios represent the most accessible solution for short to medium distances:

– FRS or MURS walkie-talkies require no license and work over a few kilometers, ideal for coordinating a family, neighborhood, or small group;

– CB (Citizens Band) radios allow for greater range, potentially reaching dozens of kilometers depending on conditions;

– GMRS systems (where regulated) allow higher power and the use of repeaters to extend coverage;

– amateur (Ham) radio opens the door to inter-regional or even international communications but requires a license and technical skills.

“Mesh” Messaging and Bluetooth

Several mobile apps attempt to fill the gap by creating mesh networks or using Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Direct to carry messages from one phone to another, even without network access.

Among the main tools:

These solutions remain experimental, require several people nearby to use the same app, and do not allow directly contacting a loved one living abroad. However, they can serve to relay messages to a still-connected area, where someone can forward them via the internet.

Satellite Phones and Messengers

Satellite devices (phones or messengers like Garmin inReach, Zoleo, Spot X, Motorola Defy, etc.) completely bypass the local network: they communicate with a satellite constellation to send short messages, GPS locations, or even establish voice calls.

Their interest for a Belarusian lies mainly in extreme scenarios: prolonged outage, remote rural areas, or the need to contact emergency services abroad. But these devices remain expensive to purchase and subscribe to, and their possession can itself attract attention in a context where authorities closely monitor uncontrolled communication means.

Calling Internationally: Calling Cards and VoIP

For those residing in Belarus who wish to call loved ones abroad, or vice versa, there is a whole range of international telephony services based on VoIP or prepaid calling cards. They often help reduce costs compared to traditional operator telephony.

Calling Card-type Services

Several platforms offer calling credit to +375 (Belarus’s international code) with rates detailed by number type.

Exact rates change regularly, this table illustrates the order of magnitude.

These services generally work in two modes:

For loved ones living in Europe or North America, these solutions allow them to remain reachable at a lower cost, even if the person in Belarus only has a traditional line. They complement free calls via Viber, WhatsApp, or Telegram, which remain dependent on a good internet connection and the absence of blocking.

Country Code and Calling Hours

To call a Belarusian number from abroad, you must dial: +375 followed by the local number.

Belarusian numbers generally consist of nine digits (including the area code).

Belarus is on UTC+3 year-round, with no seasonal time change. Compared to the United States, this creates a 7 to 10 hour difference depending on time zones. To minimize missed calls and calls in the middle of the night, it’s better to prioritize:

– local business hours (9 AM – 6 PM) for professional exchanges;

– early evening hours (6 PM – 9 PM) for family calls.

The Key Role of the Post Office: Letters, Packages, and Press

When the internet becomes uncertain, or simply to send physical items, the good old postal service regains all its importance. Belarus has a powerful and well-established national postal operator: Belpochta.

A Dense and Efficient Postal Network

Belpochta, created in 1995 and wholly state-owned, has been a member of the Universal Postal Union since 1947. It relies on over 4,000 postal points and more than 1,600 vehicles, covering nearly 160,000 km daily.

In 2018, it employed over 24,000 people, had more than 3,100 offices and six regional branches. For businesses, it offers over 60 “Business Mail” centers and advanced logistics services (freight, 3PL, etc.).

Delivery times within the country are relatively short:

– within the same region or in Minsk: dispatch day + 2 days;

– in the rest of the country: dispatch day + 3 days (excluding weekends).

The country ranks very respectably in the UPU’s Postal Development Index: 20th in 2020, 14th in 2021, 13th in 2022 out of over 170 countries, and a regional leader for reliability, reach, relevance, and resilience.

Sending and Receiving Mail or Packages

For staying in touch, paper letters have at least three advantages: they escape internet outages, they leave a physical and emotional trace, and they handle delays of several days or weeks very well. Belarus has also implemented a National Electronic Postal System that allows sending electronic or hybrid letters (digital at sending, paper at reception) with delivery confirmation.

Regarding packages, Belpochta offers different weight and service levels:

Internationally, the situation is more complex. Sanctions and geopolitical tensions have led some foreign postal services, like the USPS in the United States, to completely suspend services to Belarus. Alternatives exist via private carriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS, TNT, transit via third countries), but costs and delivery times vary greatly.

Items Prohibited or Requiring Authorization

The rules for sending items to and from Belarus are strict. Categories typically prohibited include:

Other items are allowed under conditions (authorization from the Ministry of Health, Veterinary Inspection, etc.), notably medicines, certain products of animal origin, or objects of cultural value.

For a family wanting to send a package from France or another country, the essentials are to:

– check the list of prohibited or restricted items;

– correctly fill out customs forms (description, value, customs codes);

– anticipate customs duties and possible VAT (generally 5–15% duties, plus 20% VAT on the customs value);

– prioritize non-sensitive goods (clothes, books, toys, hygiene products not subject to restrictions, souvenirs, etc.).

Conversely, the postal service remains a robust way to send documents, printed photos, small gifts, and handwritten letters abroad, as long as the postal services of the destination country still accept shipments from Belarus.

Culture, Language, and Social Codes: Staying Close Beyond the Screen

Technology doesn’t do everything. Relationships are also nourished by how we speak, small attentions, and respect for cultural codes. Belarusian society places central importance on family, and a certain formality in language, especially towards elders.

Formulas and Tone

Using a few words in Belarusian or Russian is a much-appreciated sign of respect, even in a video call:

– to greet: “Добры дзень” (hello/good day), “Добры вечар” (good evening);

– to thank: “Дзякуй“;

– to apologize: “Прабачце“.

Belarusians tend to favor polite, sincere, but fairly measured communication. Emotional outbursts or heated political debates, especially via channels likely to be monitored, are often avoided. Staying focused on family, daily life, traditional holidays, or travel plans can help maintain the connection without putting anyone in a difficult position.

Celebrating from a Distance

Major holidays (New Year, Orthodox Christmas, Easter, etc.) remain key moments to strengthen contacts. When travel is impossible, a combination of methods works well:

Even with a fragile connection, an audio call or a simple exchange of messages on the day, supplemented by photos sent later when the connection allows, has a significant emotional impact.

Building a Family “Communication Plan”

Due to internet interruptions, blocks, and political tensions, many families are beginning to think in terms of crisis situations: how do we talk if a certain tool disappears? Who contacts whom? Through which alternative channels?

A family communication plan can include: establishing clear communication rules, creating opportunities for regular dialogue, and using written supports to share important information.

This “layered” approach (standard internet, bypassed internet via VPN/Tor, mobile telephony, postal service, short-range radio, even satellite) avoids putting all your eggs in one basket, a system easily disabled by the authorities.

Digital Security and Self‑Censorship: Protecting Loved Ones

In a country where surveillance is real and people have been arrested for their online activities, it is crucial to keep a few basic principles in mind to protect loved ones:

The goal is not to eliminate all spontaneity, but to find a balance between natural exchanges and minimal caution.

In Summary

Staying in contact with loved ones from Belarus requires accepting a certain level of complexity:

By intelligently combining these different means, anticipating possible outages, and considering the risks, it is possible to maintain close and regular relationships with loved ones, even from a digital environment as constrained as Belarus’s.

Cyril Jarnias

Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.

On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.

Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.

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