Beleaguered Russian troops face Ukrainian winter

+ the mosquito vitamin myth US Edition - Today's top story: Russian troops' poor performance and low morale may worsen during a winter of more discontent [View in browser]( US Edition | 7 December 2022 [The Conversation]( With few exceptions, the winter months usually mean military battles come to a freezing halt. Days are shorter, equipment malfunctions and even soldiers can’t escape the basic human need for warmth. [This winter comes at one of the worst times for Russian troops]( who have already faced a surprisingly stiff Ukrainian military defense of its borders. As former Special Forces officer Liam Collins explains, since the invasion began in February 2022, Russia’s best forces have been decimated throughout the conflict, suffering from low morale and now increasingly dependent on untrained conscripts. Collins writes that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Ukrainians launch another counteroffensive before spring turns the hard, frozen terrain into a wet, muddy quagmire. 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