Belarus or White Russia banknote

This is a 1992-96 Belarus banknote exchange note issue by Belarus National Bank. Obverse is a "Pagonya" a defending warrior weilding sword on horseback at center. The 5 Rublei banknote color is deep blue on it. Blue, lilac, violet and multicolored underprint (background color) with 2 wolves at center. The 10 Rublei banknote color is deep green on it. Green, orange and multicolored underprint and Lynx with kitten at center. The 25 Rublei banknote color is violet on red, green and multicolored underprint with moose at center. The 50 Rublei banknote color is deep purple on red and green underprint (background color) with bear at center. All this banknote size is approximately at 53 mm x 105 mm.

"White Russia" (Belarusian: Белая Русь ~ English: White Ruthenia) is a name that has historically been applied to various regions in Eastern Europe, most often to that which roughly corresponds to present-day Belarus. In English, the use of "White Russia" to refer to Belarus is dated. Many other languages, however, continue to use a literal translation of "White Russia" to refer to Belarus. Because the term "White Russian" has the alternative (and potentially confusing) meanings of the post-Russian Revolution, anti-Communist White movement or White emigre - with perceived Russian imperialism that came with them - some people in Belarus consider the name "White Russia" to be derogatory.

Belarus (Byelorussia, Belorussia, or White Russia- formerly the Belorussian S.S.R.) is situated along the western Dvina and Dnieper Rivers, bounded in the west by Poland, to the north by Latvia and Lithuania, to the east by Russia and the south by the Ukraine. It has an area of 80,154 sq. mi. (207,600 sq. km.) and a population of 4.8 million. Capital: Minsk. Chief products: peat, salt, and agricultural products including flax, fodder and grasses for cattle breeding and dairy products.

There never existed an independent state of Byelorussia. Until the partitions of Poland at the end of the 18th century, the history of Byelorussia is identical with that of Lithuania. When Russia incorporated the whole of Byelorussia into its territories in 1795, it claimed to be recovering old Russian lands and denied that the Byelorussians were a separate nation. Significant efforts for independence did not occur until 1918 and were met by external antagonism from German, Polish, and Russian influences.

Soviet and anti-Communist sympathies continued to reflect the political and social unrest of the U.S.S.R. for Byelorussia. Finally, on August 25, 1991, following an unsuccessful coup, the Supreme Soviet adopted a declaration of independence, and the “Republic of Belarus” was proclaimed in September. In December, it became a founder member of the CIS.

Source: Wikipedia, Krause Publication