I visited Minsk for business trip just for 2 days. In short, yes, Minsk very very clean and feeling like your came back to USSR. Aeroport was near empty. Not like in Moscow – thousands of people.

Central prospect of Independence (праспект Незалежнасцi) is 16 km long . On photo below monument of Victory (Манумент Перамогi) .

Oktyabrskaya sqare below has Palace of profsouz’s culture (Палац культуры прафсаюзаў) (displayed on 500 ruble banknote).

Below National art museum (on 1000 ruble banknote)

And banknotes

Few more photos of Minsk

Separately i want to outline ** “Belarus High Technologies Park”**. It’s zone with special economical rules aimed to develop and attract IT technologies and companies to Belarus.

I’ve visited new building of one famous IT company. Looks awesome.

It was nice trip. Want to come back here either for work and vacation!

P.S.: I was not aware that historically Belarus had white-red-white(not Soviet red-green) flag and “Pahonia” coat pretty close to Lithuania one.