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Korean, Japanese military and civilian sites targeted in leaked Russian military plans: Report

Published: 01 Jan. 2025, 18:07

SEO JI-EUN
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Posco's Pohang Steelworks on Jan. 1. [NEWS1]

Russia’s military drafted detailed plans targeting civilian and military sites in Korea and Japan over a decade ago, according to a Financial Times report on Tuesday.

Citing leaked Russian military documents from 2013 to 2014, the report revealed 160 identified targets, including industrial facilities, roads and bridges, selected to "stop the regrouping of troops in areas of operational defense."

The documents outline a mix of military infrastructure, including command headquarters, radar installations and control bunkers, and even civilian infrastructure as potential targets.

“In South Korea, the top civilian targets are bridges, but the list also includes industrial sites such as the Pohang steelworks and chemical factories in Busan,” the newspaper said.

In Japan, the Kanmon Tunnel, which connects Honshu and Kyushu islands, as well as critical energy infrastructure, including nuclear complexes in Tokai and fuel refineries, were mentioned.

Russia’s plans reportedly underscore confidence in its missile capabilities, particularly the Kh-101 non-nuclear cruise missile. A hypothetical strike mission detailed in the documents describes using 12 Kh-101 missiles launched from a Tu-160 heavy bomber to target a radar facility on the Japanese island of Okushiritou, with an 85 percent success rate of destroying the objective.

The leaked slides also reportedly demonstrate meticulous planning in selecting the target list, balancing operational necessity and potential disruption. For example, two Korean command-and-control bunkers were accompanied by estimates of the force required to breach their defenses, as well as the size and potential output of facilities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on the revelations.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]