I was wondering why some of my postcards were never received and then I found this post on the USPS website this morning.
USPS Suspensions
Updated: March 31, 2023
The Postal Service ™ is temporarily suspending international mail acceptance for certain destinations due to impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic and other unrelated service disruptions. Customers: please refrain from mailing items addressed to the countries listed here, until further notice.
Russian addresses have not been given to Americans for more than a year. There was a brief window of giving Belarus addresses; my one card there did get registered. The other places on the list are very rare.
There was a “window” when Belarus was open to send from the US and Postcrossing corresponding sent out Belarusian addresses; I received 2. But the window closed down just as I mailed the cards. The solution I found that worked for one of them was addressing it “via Germany”.
The second card still wasn’t received, but I double checked the address to find that the intended recipient had moved to Poland (in frustration, fear, etc.; still wants to move back). So my 3rd card to him, addressed to his Polish address, was received and registered (with appropriate thanks).
If you received an address in Belarus when you drew your first 5, your card likely never made it out of the US. Service to Belarus was suspended just a week later. I drew a Belarus address on July 18, intended for an moderately active member that didn’t make it.
But after July 22, 2022 you should not have received any addresses for any country on that list, and won’t until the suspension is lifted.