Rasputitsa

The rasputitsa (Russian: распу́тица) is the twice annual flooding of Belarus, western Russia and Ukraine. The word translates as "mud season" and during this period the large flat steppe becomes extremely muddy and marshy, and all non-paved roads become impassable. The term applies both to the season ("spring rasputitsa" and "autumn rasputitsa") and to the state of the roads.

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The rasputitsa occurs most strongly in the spring due to the melting snow but it recurs in the fall due to the heavy rains. The rasputitda can be viewed as an expansion of the Pripet Marshes through the whole of the region.

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Russia's winters are well known as a great defensive advantage in wartime, and the rasputitsa has played a crucial role in Russian history. Napoleon counted Russia's mud as a very important hindrance. The blitzkrieg of the Nazis was almost wholly halted by the mud that left even the most powerful tanks unusable.

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Russian: Russian can mean:...

Russia: The Russian Federation (, transliteration: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya or Rossijskaja Federacija), or Russia (Russian: ???????, transliteration: Rossiya or Rossija), is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of Europe and Asia. With an area of 17,075,400 km? (6,595,600 mi?), it is the largest coun...

Steppe: In physical geography, a steppe (from Russian step') is a plain without trees (apart from those near rivers and lakes); it is similar to a prairie, although a prairie is generally reckoned as being dominated by tall grasses, while short grasses are said to be the norm in the steppe. It may be ...