Newly uncovered documents reveal Russia’s decade-old war preparation plans to strike over eighty military and civilian facilities in South Korea, including Pohang Steelworks and chemical plants in Busan.
On Wednesday, the Financial Times reported that it had obtained a classified Russian military document. The document, composed of twenty-nine secret military files created from 2008 to 2014, primarily focuses on officer training for potential conflicts along Russia’s eastern border. It bears the emblem of Russia’s military academy and details a plan to target 160 locations in South Korea and Japan. The targets are operational areas such as roads, bridges, and factories to disrupt troop mobilization in operational areas.
The document outlines Russia’s capability to launch Kh-101 cruise missiles at strategic targets in South Korea and Japan during a crisis. The target list encompasses eighty-two military installations, including command centers, radar sites, air bases, and naval facilities in both nations. Civilian targets are also marked for potential strikes: Pohang Steelworks and Busan chemical plants. The Financial Times reports that the document includes detailed information on South Korean command bunkers, including troop estimates for breaching defenses and specifics on facility size and production capacity. Japanese targets include critical infrastructure like the Kanmon Tunnel (a tunnel connecting Honshu and Kyushu) and thirteen energy sites, including nuclear facilities and refineries in the Tokai region. The document also describes scenarios involving tactical nuclear weapons use in conflicts with major powers, preparations for a potential Chinese invasion, and deep strikes into Europe.
The Financial Times‘s analysis suggests these Russian military scenarios stem from concerns about vulnerabilities along its eastern border during a potential NATO conflict, particularly to attacks from U.S. forces and allies. William Alberque, formerly with NATO and now at the Stimson Center, stated that the document reveals Russia’s threat perception from U.S. allies in Asia. He noted that Russia likely sees the need to target these countries to prevent U.S. forces in Japan and South Korea from interfering in a European conflict. Alberque emphasized that this document and North Korea’s involvement in Ukraine demonstrate the interconnected nature of European and Asian security. That neither region can ignore disputes in the other.
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