Downtown Minsk

The first picture is October Square, where the opposition tent demonstrations two years ago took place. The second one is of the central Independence Avenue (I dare not try out the Russian or Belarussian names - signs are of the later while people seem to mainly use the former - very confusing...)

Minsk was almost completely destroyed in the second World War - apparently only 5 buildings still stood at the end of the war. What you see was built afterwards, but what I can understand mainly along the same street plan. So the Stalin-baroque architecture dominates completely.

For deeper some Belarus-perspective, listen to the following rather recent Swedish radio talk programs on the political situation: Konflikt from 8th March and from 20th March morning news.