- published: 05 Aug 2015
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The Russian (or Soviet) Winter is a common explanation for military failures of invaders in Russia. Common nicknames are General Frost, General Winter and General Snow. Another was "General Mud"( see "rasputitsa").
The average and minimum temperatures differ among Russian regions. Winter is most severe in hinterland Yakutia (where no major armed conflicts happened to date), with the lowest temperature about −65°C (-85°F). In European Russia (west of the Ural mountains), where most battles were fought, the average winter temperature is rarely below −20°C (-4°F), but varies greatly: for example, temperatures in the winter of 2005/2006 fell to −20°C (-4°F) or −30°C (-22°F) in Moscow. In Russia this phenomenon is known as "Epiphany frosts" (крещенские морозы, Russian pronunciation: [krʲeˈɕɕenskʲije moˈrozɨ] - referred to Orthodox Epiphany on January 15), known for centuries for its low temperatures. But most recent winters in central Russia were unusually warm. A New Year's Day without snow in Moscow and temperatures up to 10°C (50°F) in the middle of winter are no longer rare.