If either Hitler or Napoleon had attacked Russia in similar conditions to those across western Russia this winter, then history might be very different.
Military historians always emphasised the role played by the harsh climate in helping to defeat past invaders, but this winter the weather is eerily mild, with temperatures about 20 degrees higher than normal for this time of year, up to 10 degrees rather than minus 10 degrees.
Coming back from a Christmas in Ireland to Moscow meant almost no difference in temperature - there was just more wind and rain in Ireland.
The official figures back up the anecdotal evidence, with December and January to date the warmest ever on record for 130 years.
It means there's absolutely no snow in Moscow, with the streets dirty and cars so muddy you can rarely see their number plates. Winter sports have been put on ice, with the skaters still waiting for traditional rinks - such as at Patriarchy Ponds, the setting for Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita - to freeze over.
Elsewhere, there's major flooding in St Petersburg, just at the time of the year when the delta of the river Neva should be frozen solid.
Nature has also become confused about how to respond, with bears only going into hibernation in the past few weeks, about two months later than normal.
But the worst losers are the fashion victims, who must put away their expensive fur coats, which were briefly taken out of the closet last November, but then hidden away again. It's not because of animal welfare campaigners, but simply because the heavy mink and fox furs are too warm to wear, even for the most loudly dressed of the new rich.
Hardened Muscovites claim most winters aren't really so bad in Moscow, even when it gets down to minus 20 degrees, though last year's minus 35 was just getting a little tough. They cheerfully point out that the wind isn't too cold and the bright snow appears to clean everything up.
Since it's my first winter here, I don't feel I can judge just yet, though I sometimes sense the scorn of the veterans.
Other Irish expatriates in the city seem to feel the same way.
"It's my first winter in Moscow and I feel a bit cheated - it was colder in Donegal over Christmas," said Ursula Colgan, originally from Belfast. "My Russian friends are very happy, though, after last year's big freeze. I've heard that we'll get snow at the end of next week - but they've been saying that since October."
Scientists fear that in the Siberian wastelands, the warming temperatures are beginning to melt away the permafrost, which sits over a vast expanse of the northern region throughout the year. As it melts, large quantities of the greenhouse gas methane are being released, with some claiming an unstoppable chain reaction has already commenced.
Russians are well aware of the arguments about global warming and the dangers from rising sea levels. Secretly, though, most of them seem to believe they may be among the winners from climate change. - Conor Sweeney