Russia's 2013 secret strike plans for Japan and South Korea unveiled
Russia was preparing officers for attacks on Japan and South Korea, according to secret military documents from 2013-2014 obtained by "The Financial Times." A detailed plan for strikes on military and civilian targets was even developed.
The attack plans included 160 locations, including military targets, nuclear power plants, and other civilian facilities. They were intended to prevent "regrouping of forces in operational areas." Western sources showed the FT the documents, which highlight Moscow's concerns about the eastern flank, which could be exposed to attacks from US and regional ally forces in the event of a war with NATO.
According to the FT, a collection of 29 secret Russian military documents from 2008 to 2014 that focus on training officers for potential conflict on Russia's eastern border remains significant for Russian strategy.
Asia has become a critical element of Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy in pursuing a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and his broader stance towards NATO, notes "FT." Besides increased economic reliance on China, Moscow recruited 12,000 soldiers from North Korea to fight in Ukraine while strengthening Pyongyang economically and militarily. After launching an experimental ballistic missile at Ukraine in November, Putin stated that "the regional conflict in Ukraine has acquired global elements."
"The European and Asian theatres of war are interconnected"
William Alberque, a former NATO arms control official and current expert at the Stimson Center, stated that these documents, along with the recent deployment of North Korean troops, definitively demonstrate the undeniable connection between the European and Asian theatres of war.
He emphasized that Asia must not ignore the conflict in Europe, just as Europe cannot remain passive if a war arises in Asia.
Belief in the effectiveness of the Kh-101
The list of targets for Japan and South Korea was part of a presentation aimed at explaining the capabilities of the Kh-101 cruise missile.
One scenario envisioned destroying, for example, the Okushirito base using 12 Kh-101 cruise missiles, expected to have an 85% effectiveness rate. However, in real combat conditions, these missiles proved less effective.
The documents also reveal how Russia tested the defences of its neighbours. For instance, in February 2014, two strategic bombers, Tu-95, conducted a 17-hour flight around South Korea and Japan, provoking both countries' air forces to scramble fighters.
As noted by "FT," the route taken by the Tu-95 bombers at that time is almost identical to that of two Tu-142 maritime patrol aircraft earlier this year when they circled Japan as part of strategic exercises in the Pacific.
