When Russia invaded Ukraine, its military commanders were widely seen to have discounted one unconventional but effective « weapon » in Ukraine’s arsenal.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, its military commanders were widely seen to have discounted one very unconventional but effective « weapon » in Ukraine’s arsenal: its infamous muddy season. The timing of Russia’s invasion, which began on Feb.24, coincided with what is known locally as the « muddy road season, » or « Rasputitsa » in Russian. It’s a phenomenon that takes place twice a year, first in spring — when the winter freeze subsides and the country’s terrain and unpaved roads become virtually unpassable as they turn to mud — and then in the fall, when there can be heavy rain. The mud is seen by military experts to have helped to slow Russia’s advance in parts of the country, particularly the north. Images and video circulating online have shown Russian tanks, trucks and other armored vehicles stuck and abandoned on muddy roads or fields in Ukraine. That’s prompted some disbelief among Russia analysts and military experts, who said Russia’s military commanders should have been better prepared for conditions on the ground, and able to avoid the quagmire caused by Ukraine’s muddy spring terrain. It’s a phenomenon familiar in the history books: Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of Russia in 1812 was famously slowed by the mud, as were Hitler’s armies, which invaded the then-Soviet Union in 1941 and encountered the same logistical problems posed by the mud and inhospitable terrain that Russian troops have faced in the last few weeks.
