Russians fleeing to Belarus: internet blackouts force them to seek new life in Minsk

In 2026, Belarus has become one of the main destinations for Russians seeking to leave Russia but lacking the resources to move to more distant countries. The main draws are free internet, visa-free entry, and a shared language. However, sociologists warn that relocating to Belarus could leave people in an even more vulnerable situation.

In 2026, an increasing number of Russians have begun discussing Belarus as an emigration destination on social media. Against the backdrop of internet blackouts, the unavailability of Telegram and other services, and economic hardship, people are seeking an escape route, and Belarus appears to offer it with minimal barriers.

Sociologists: a country with "minimal entry thresholds"

From December 2025 to June 2026, researcher Anna Kuleshova and her colleagues surveyed more than 740 subscribers of the Telegram channel "Emigritseps" living in Russia. The results showed that people are primarily frightened by information isolation.

"What distinguishes the current emigration wave from previous ones is fear of information isolation, which correlates with existential isolation: without connection to the world, there is no future and no meaning to life. According to our data, such fear was already very high by the end of 2025," Kuleshova told the research group "Bereg".

According to the sociologist, people choose Belarus because it is a country with "minimal entry thresholds", both in terms of legalization and financial costs. "According to our observations, people do not choose the most politically suitable regime for themselves, but rather the path of least resistance under conditions of resource scarcity," she added. However, Kuleshova warns that in the long term, moving to Belarus could make people even more vulnerable, due to the close cooperation between Russian and Belarusian security forces, shared search databases, and the lack of real legal protection.

"I realized I simply would not survive physically"

Oksana (name changed) lived in Russia's southern region before relocating. She works as a freelancer online, helping companies in crisis situations. Internet blackouts began directly affecting her income: in the evenings, mobile internet in her city was completely shut down, VPNs were blocked one after another.

"Ultimately, I was forced to work only with Russian companies. But the Russian market is going through such times that even large corporations are not actively hiring people," she described the situation.

Oksana's decision to move to Minsk was also motivated by her six-year-old daughter: the child can immediately enrol in a Russian-speaking kindergarten, and the city also offers English-language education. She acknowledged that if she didn't have a child, she would have chosen Poland-her professional contacts there are better and she prefers the economic policy-but with a Russian passport, it is now difficult to get there.

The first weeks in Minsk brought disappointments, however. Finding an apartment proved difficult: many landlords wanted only Belarusian citizens. Oksana encountered an unfair landlord and had to rely on police assistance to get her money back. At the same time, in the first few weeks, thanks to a stable internet connection, she found several good international work contacts, earning 300 dollars in an hour consulting with a Polish client.

"Minsk reminds me atmosphere-wise of Russia in 2008-2011. That was the calmest time, there was no pressure, just a feeling that you could simply live. Even a couple of months here allows me to recover," Oksana said.

Grodno became a new home

Olga (surname withheld) took a different path to Grodno. She lived in Verkhneufaley in Chelyabinsk Oblast and came to Grodno for the first time on holiday in August 2025, a city she had dreamed of since childhood.

In December 2025, when serious internet restrictions began in Chelyabinsk Oblast, she decided quickly: two weeks later, she was back in Grodno. Her husband and son remained in Russia. "My relatives hope that I'll eventually tire of living abroad and come back. It seems to them that my move is more like a prolonged trip or a sort of trial rather than the start of a new life in another country," Olga described the situation.

Upon arriving in Grodno, she faced bureaucracy: applying for a residence permit requires documents from many different institutions scattered across the city. Six months later, the residence permit process is still pending. Finding work was also difficult: many employers are unwilling to work with foreign nationals, salaries are low, and requirements are strict.

Cheap internet, but risks are real

Both women acknowledge that Belarus's political regime does not bother them, at least for now. Oksana said directly that she does not worry about Lukashenko's policies, but added: if Belarus were to start experiencing similar internet blackouts as Russia, she would leave immediately.

Sociologist Kuleshova emphasizes that this is precisely what causes concern: emigrants do not sufficiently realize that Belarus and Russian security forces cooperate closely and the existence of shared search databases means that certain groups of people may not receive protection in Belarus.