March 15, 2022

Rasputitsa: Or, How Ukraine's Mud Is Foiling Putin


Rasputitsa: Or, How Ukraine's Mud Is Foiling Putin
Soupy. Wikimedia Commons user WM wm WM.

It saved Russia in the thirteenth century from the Mongols, in 1812 from the French, and in the 1940s from the Germans, and now it may be helping to save Ukraine.

This potent force, of course, is none other than Russia's infamous mud: rasputitsa.

Rasputitsa refers to the tendency of Russian earth, especially unpaved roads, to turn to slop in the spring and fall. This is common in places like European Russia, which is mostly low-lying and swampy, with soil full of clay. Lack of freezing temperatures and heavy precipitation turn loose earth into sticky and impassible mud, rendering transportation nigh impossible.

If social media posts from Ukraine are to be trusted, then Russia's military machine is being ground to a halt by the very thing that stalled previous invaders. Twitter videos and internet photos show expensive tanks, trucks, and antiaircraft units up to their axles in freezing mud, abandoned by their crews.

Little wonder, then, that convoys have instead been moving conspicuously via road, forced to use highways to transport supplies, reinforcements, and ammunition. After all, what was impassible for a 700-pound horse is even more difficult for a forty-ton tank, regardless of how technologically advanced it is.

You Might Also Like

This is How the War Ends
  • March 09, 2022

This is How the War Ends

Those in power need to seek a way to end the war that could be agreed to by Ukraine, Russia, Europe, and the US. It seems a tall order, but really it’s not that hard to envision.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955