It has been almost three months since Russia – on the orders of President Vladimir Putin – invaded Ukraine. Since then, Russia has faced strong opposition, and there are many indications that things are not going according to Putin’s plan.

Now the extreme heat in Siberia may also hinder the wheels of the Russian invasion.

Must help

In Siberia, located in eastern Russia, it is very dry and very hot, which has caused several forest fires. Wind speeds of up to 40 meters in a matter of seconds made the fire spread quickly, in addition to making it difficult for firefighters from the air.

– We have asked for help from neighboring regions, said the governor of the capital region, Krasnoyarsk Alexandre Uss, according to al-Jazira.

Russian authorities have sent emergency aid and set up temporary shelters with medical and psychological services to those affected. But if the situation worsens, Putin may be forced to deploy the Russian military in firefighting efforts, said Max Bergmann at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, according to DW.

But most of Russia’s military is in Ukraine, which means that Putin will have to move troops, helicopters and other equipment from Ukraine to Siberia – which would greatly weaken a Russian invasion.

And it’s not always a quick task:

– There is no doubt that the Ukraine war has caused a huge loss of land resources for Russia. Many soldiers have moved overseas. Those who came back tired. It will be more difficult to extinguish the fire, Colonel Mark Cancian, senior adviser at the US Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Washington Post.

Lots of forest fires

Forest fires have always been part of the Siberian ecosystem. However, climate change in recent years has made the earth warmer and drier, which makes it easier for fires to occur.

So far this year, 4,000 fires have been found across an area the size of Gotland.

In May alone, at least ten people lost their lives to forest fires in Siberia. Next time it’s expected to be 20 degrees more than usual at this time of year – which will make the vegetation drier.