Rasputitsa

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The rasputitsa (Russian: распу́тица) is the twice annual season of the overall roadlessness of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. The word may be translated as "quagmire season" and during this period the large flatlands become 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.

The rasputitsa occurs most strongly in the spring due to the melting snow but it recurs in the fall due to the heavy rains.

Russian winters are well known as a great defensive advantage in wartime. Similarly, the rasputitsa has played a crucial role in Russian history. Napoleon counted Russia's mud as a very important hindrance.^{[citation needed]} During the Second World War the blitzkrieg of Germany was almost wholly halted by the mud that left even the most powerful tanks unusable.^{[citation needed]}

The Finnish corresponding term is rospuutto, denoting "roadlessness". All non-paved roads become mud. In the Archipelago the period is known as kelirikko (literally "weather break"), implying the ice is too thin to bear people or vehicles, but too hard to be passed through by seagoing vessels not equipped with icebreaker bows. The only plausible vehicles during the kelirikko are hovercraft. Unlike in Russia, in Finland both rospuutto and kelirikko occur only in Spring when the snow melts and the vernal rains turn from snow into water.