Belyanas are unique Russian river vessels that can still compete in size with ocean ships today. It is known that some of them reached a length of 120 meters, with a height of the sides up to 6 meters.

These vessels were built in areas where timber was harvested in the Upper Volga and Kama regions and were intended for a single trip downstream.

The construction of belyanas began in winter. Teams of lumberjacks would head into the taiga for three to four months, living in winter huts and harvesting timber. The harvested timber was dragged to the rafting rivers, and during the spring flood, they would tie the logs into rafts and send them to the Vetluga River, where the assembly of belyanas began. They were built on three shipyards on the Vetluga, the most famous of which was the Bakovskaya.

To build an average Volga belyana, about 240 pine and 200 spruce logs were required. The flat bottom was made from spruce beams, while the sides were made from pine. The distance between the frames was no more than half a meter, ensuring exceptional hull strength. Initially, belyanas were built without the use of nails, but later iron nails began to be used.

The vessels turned out white, which is how they got their name, belyanas. First, the hull was laid out from logs, and then the remaining timber was stacked inside. The stacks had gaps so that in case of leaks, access to the bottom could be achieved. The hull of the belyana was pointed at both the front and back, and steering was done with a huge rudder resembling wooden gates. The rudder was turned using a long log that extended from the stern to the deck.

The construction of belyanas on the Volga peaked in the mid-19th century with the onset of mass steamboat traffic, as the steamboats of that time operated on firewood.

Interestingly, some belyanas were assembled and disassembled twice in one navigation season. For example, small belyanas, upon reaching a place where the Volga approached the Don closely, would dock at the shore. The cargo was transported to the Don by horse-drawn carts, after which the belyanas themselves were disassembled, transported, and reassembled at the new location. Then the timber was rafted down to the lower reaches of the Don, where the belyanas were disassembled for the second time.