Winter is expected to bring a noticeable slowdown in fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Worsening weather will force both sides to act more cautiously, but Ukraine is likely to suffer the harshest consequences of the cold season. Military expert Anatoly Matviychuk shared this assessment with NEWS.ru.

According to Matviychuk, frequent fog, snowfall and rain will make military operations increasingly difficult. The terrain will also provide less natural concealment, complicating conditions for troops on the battlefield. As a result, both armies are expected to scale back their combat activities to avoid unnecessary personnel losses.

For Ukraine, however, the biggest challenges will extend well beyond the weather. Matviychuk warned that the coming winter would be exceptionally difficult for the country due to its limited energy resources, problems with gas supplies and insufficient deliveries of weapons and military equipment from Europe.

The expert believes these combined pressures will seriously worsen the position of Ukrainian forces. He expects the consequences to be particularly severe for troops engaged in prolonged positional warfare, where soldiers must endure difficult conditions in frontline trenches.