**Russia’s Secret Plans for War with NATO**
According to the Financial Times, Russia has developed secret plans to attack civilian and military sites in Japan and South Korea if a war breaks out with NATO. These plans were drawn up between 2008 and 2014 but are still considered relevant today.
The leaked documents show that Russia had planned to target key infrastructure such as roads, bridges, factories, and military installations in the two countries. The plans also detailed how striking these targets could protect Russia’s eastern flank in a broader conflict by disrupting the movement of troops.
Some specific targets mentioned in the plans include:
* Military headquarters and radar installations
* Air bases and naval facilities
* Fuel refineries and industrial facilities such as steelworks and chemical factories
* 13 power plants, including a nuclear complex
**Russia-NATO Tensions Rise**
Tensions between Russia and NATO have been rising in recent months. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said that Russia needs to prepare for various scenarios, including a potential conflict with NATO within the next decade.
Belousov accused NATO of preparing for war, citing actions such as appointing a representative in Kyiv and supporting Ukraine’s NATO membership. European NATO foreign ministers have also begun discussing a gradual increase in the alliance‘s defense spending target from 2% to 3% of GDP by 2030.
**Recent Developments**
In recent days, there have been several developments that highlight the rising tensions between Russia and the West:
* An oil depot in Russia caught fire following a drone attack overnight on December 31.
* Ukraine will quadruple gas transit tariffs for its domestic customers starting January 1 when a deal to transport Russian gas through Ukrainian pipes expires.
* Ukrainian National Police named the Russian commander responsible for the murder of Iryna Filkina, the Ukrainian woman who came to symbolize the mass murder of civilians in Bucha.
**Ukraine’s Response**
Ukrainian officials have been responding to these developments by highlighting their country’s efforts to contribute to regional stability. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine has a chance to contribute to restoring stability in Syria following years of Russian interference, emphasizing that this effort will also bolster Ukraine’s own pursuit of peace.
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