Poor weather conditions continue to slow pace of operations across entire frontline – ISW

Poor weather conditions continue to slow the pace of Ukrainian and Russian combat operations across the entire frontline but have not completely halted them, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

In its updates as of December 2, issued on December 3, the ISW says, referring to Ukrainian Ground Forces Command Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Volodymyr Fityo, that Russian forces actively use aviation in the Bakhmut direction when the weather permits it. Fityo added that weather does not significantly affect Russian artillery fire in the Bakhmut direction.

At the same time, Russian milbloggers claimed on December 1 that strong winds near Bakhmut and in western Zaporizhia region prevented Russian forces from using drones and artillery over the past two days. Another Russian milblogger claimed that although light rain allows Russian forces to conduct aerial reconnaissance near Verbove (9 kilometers east of Robotyne) the muddy terrain makes it challenging for infantry and wheeled vehicles to advance in western Zaporizhia region. The milblogger added that Russian forces can only move on tracked vehicles and that Ukrainian forces continue intense artillery fire despite the poor weather conditions in western Zaporizhia region.

The ISW analysts said that Zaporizhia region occupation official Vladimir Rogov amplified footage on December 2 that shows muddy roads on the Robotyne-Novoprokopivka-Verbove line in western Zaporizhia region and claimed that these conditions have practically immobilized Ukrainian wheeled vehicles, forcing Ukrainian troops to conduct infantry-only attacks.