21st century Goguryeo

Chapter 521: Season 2 Book 21 Shadow of War 2 – 3-1 The Eve of the Storm

January 19th, 2024, 03:30 (Russian time January 18th, 2024, 21:30)

Russia Moscow Bunker State R-13 (Situation Room)

The situation room, gloomy with the news that President Putin’s anticipation for NATO troops’ participation in the war had been rejected at the summit, was stunned when he received one more unpleasant report.

<Shudder!>

Captain Vladimir Beshastnich, who put the receiver down, looked up at the ceiling and let out a long sigh.

“What’s going on?” Chief Odil Akmedov asked in a cautious tone.

“It was reported that Crimea has been handed over to the Korean army.”

“What?”

Deputy Chief of Staff Odil Akmedov’s eyes widened.

Crimea was a very important territory for President Putin.

“This is a really big deal.”

After years of observing Ukraine’s two provinces, Crimea was also handed over to the South Korean military, and President Putin’s political position declined considerably. This was because all plans to continue to serve as president through the constitutional amendment were in vain.

However, given the current situation, the Crimean Peninsula issue was not a problem but if they were to lose this war, that would be the end of everything.

After a while, a video appeared on the screen of the control room.

It was a video of several soldiers who appeared to be South Korean marines raising the Korean flag at the City Hall in the semi-collapsed Crimean Peninsula.

“Damn it…”

After a brief swear word, Captain Vladimir Beshastnich let out a long sigh.

“Chief of the General Staff! Report to the President.”

General Vladimir Beshastnich jumped up from his seat, as Chief Odil Akmedov kept mumbling.

It was obvious that the later the report, the more insults he would hear, so General Vladimir Beshastnich left the situation room to go to the Oval Office and Chief Odile Akmedov followed after.

“You stay here, I’m going to get cursed at. Do you need to go as well?”

“But still…”

“After an hour, convene a meeting with all members of the General Staff. Ensure all commanders above the rank of the Major General on the battlefield are connected by video communication.

“Yes, all right.”

After giving brief instructions, Captain Vladimir Beshastnich adjusted his hat and immediately exited the control room.

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January 19, 2024, 03:30 (Russian time: January 18, 2024, 21:30)

Russia Moscow Bunker State R-13 (Oval Office)

<Knock knock knock>

Captain Vladimir Beshastnich, who entered the office as he knocked, raised his hand and saluted at a modest angle.

“What’s going on?”

President Putin was also saddened by the news that NATO forces were not participating in the EU summit.

“Crimea has been occupied by South Korean forces.”

“Hoo! The Crimean Peninsula as well.”

President Putin’s response was baffling and not what Captain Vladimir Beshastnich had expected. He was very nervous about the possibility of being badly scolded but was surprised by his reaction.

“At this point, there is only the United States.”

At President Putin’s words, which did not make sense, General Vladimir Beshastnich stepped forward and asked, “Mr. President, what do you mean there is only the United States?”

“Literally as I said. From now on, we have to openly unite with the United States to suppress Korea.”

“Will America do what we want?”

When General Vladimir Beshastnich cautiously asked the question, Putin grinned and made some meaningful remarks.

“It should, don’t we have a hidden card?”

“What hidden card?”

“USSC.”

“That, that.”

“Now that that’s all we have left, we need to press the U.S. as much as possible to wipe out damn Korea from the face of the earth!”

A spark of anger blazed in president Putin’s eyes.

“Mr. President! As the commander of the Russian army, I would like to make a statement to the president.”

“What are you trying to say?”

As if he had roughly guessed what Captain Vladimir Beshastnich was going to say, he showed the vigilance with his expression.

“As I said before, I want you to give up on the Northwest Front and focus all your power on the Southern Front.”

“Are you talking about that again?”

“If we take any longer, we might lose on all of the fronts, Mr. President!”

“How far do you think it is from the Northwest Front to the Southern Front?”

“About 5,300 kilometers.”

“Then, how long do you think it will take for all units currently deployed in the Northwestern Front to retreat to the Southern Front?”

“About ten days.”

“Ten days? If so, will you be able to block the Southern Front for ten days?” President Putin’s questions continued.

“I think it will be sufficient if all the forces of the central and western military districts are mobilized following the existing southern military districts.”

“Huh! Then leave the power on the Northwest Front as it is.”

“What do you mean leave it as it is?” In response to the absurd answer, Captain Vladimir Beshastnich questioned with an absurd expression on his face.

“Didn’t you say that if you mobilize all the powers of the Western and Central Military Districts, you will survive ten days on the Southern Front?”

“That’s it. Isn’t that on the premise that the power of the Northwest Front will come to support here?”

“Didn’t you say that you can block it for about ten days whether or not support comes?”

“Mr. President! What are you going to do after ten days? Please listen to me.” With a desperate expression on his face, General Vladimir Beshastnich tried to persuade President Putin.

“Don’t worry about it. There is a way!”

“Is it America?”

“Right!”

“Believing in America, our Russia…”

“Stop!”

President Putin spread his palm out as if he didn’t want to hear it.

“You know, don’t you? The U.S. Pacific Fleet is sailing in the waters of Japan.”

“Isn’t that the extent to which Japan is trying to keep its country in command for the sake of its interests?”

“Who doesn’t know that? But the U.S. will attack not only Japan but also the Korean Peninsula. Didn’t I say that there is a hidden card called USSC? Hu hu hu!”

President Putin leisurely lit the cigarette in his mouth. Then he took a long drag and blew the smoke into the air.

As General Vladimir Beshastnih was watching him, President Putin said, “You should take measures to defend the Southern Front for at least ten days right now. With all your might, I mean.”

After speaking, Putin turned his chair indicating for Vladimir Beshastnich to leave.

“All right.”

Captain Vladimir Beshastnich, realizing that there was no other way, turned around and saluted Putin, who had been seated. As he was about to leave the office, he heard something suspicious.

“Chief of Staff! We authorized the use of unlimited tactical nukes. Let us actively use tactical nukes for all future operations.”

“Mr. President! Here in Moscow might become a place where not even a single ant can live too.”

“You have to wait and see! What would you be afraid of when you’ve even extended your hands to the Americans? So just know that.”

Captain Vladimir Beshastnich left the office without answering. Instead, he mumbled a few words from his mouth.

<Putin, that man is crazy!>

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January 19th, 2024, 04:00 (Russian time: January 18th, 2024, 22:00)

Moscow, Russia Bunker State R-13 (Operation Conference Room)

Even after Crimea was handed over to the South Korean military, the atmosphere in the operation meeting room was really heavy. The Northwestern Front, which had been engaged in fierce fighting with the South Korean army for a month and a half, was also seen as defeated, though the staff did not say anything.

The Russian army in the Northwestern Front, the largest force on the ground, began to collapse rapidly on January 3, when the 20th Armored Division (decisive battle) belonging to the 7th Mobile Corps allowed a flank attack. As a result, the Russian army, which had a total of 700,000 regular and irregular troops, was now significantly reduced to 420,000 regular troops and was being pushed toward its territory by tens of kilometers a day.

The 2nd Guards Army in Jungbu Military District, which was the first to face the 7th Mobile Corps trying to break through the flank, responded with all their mobilization forces but was removed from the army after suffering close to annihilation within eight days. Against this backdrop, the 41st Army, another support force in the Jungbu Military District, built the second line of defense and responded, but to no avail. After seeing a power loss of 40 percent in five days, they retreated to the rear.

However, thanks to the 2nd Guards Army and 41st Army slowing down the invasion of the 7th Mobile Corps until they suffered close to annihilation, the 29th Army in Dongbu Military District, which played a key role and engaged in fierce battles with the Korean forces on the front line, was the 36th Army. Only the Motorized Infantry Division, the 56th Motorized Infantry Division, and the 55th Motorized Infantry Division belonging to the Independence Corps suffered catastrophic damage. The Motorized Infantry Division and the 11th Armored Division were able to retreat 248 kilometers to the rear without suffering any damage.

If the 2nd Guards Army and 41st Army had not been able to slow down the 7th Mobile Corps’ invasion at their own expense, the 29th Army would not have survived either.

In any case, they retreated to the rear, but they were preparing for an all-out war with the South Korean army, including the 7th Mobile Corps, once again with 60 percent of their forces preserved.

General Vladimir Beshastnich, who was trying to block the southern front by moving all the forces put into the northwestern front somehow, failed to achieve his goal, and now the Peace Corps and the marines are pushing for at least ten days into the western military district, the central military district, and the southern military district. He had to come up with a plan of operation to block the troops.

“The president wants to keep both fronts. I think that the Northwestern Front should establish an operation plan that mobilizes all available forces to reliably defend the current defense, and the Southern Front should be isolated so that the entire South does not fall over to the South Korean Army. Therefore, even if Rostovskaya Oblast is handed over to the Korean military, Volgogradskaya Oblast is an area that must be defended. Let the meeting begin.”

General Vladimir Beshastnich, who said a few words before the operational plan meeting that began that day, did not hesitate to discuss the use of tactical nuclear weapons. Although it was a matter of disobeying orders in the future, it was a matter of taking off his uniform and resigning from his position, but it is well known that all large cities were attacked and ruined by the Korean army after New China used weapons similar to tactical nuclear weapons. He didn’t want to use tactical nukes.

Perhaps in the future, the Russian people may be grateful for this courageous judgment of Captain Vladimir Beshastnich.

“Then, first, let’s start with the plan for the defense of the Northwest Front.”

When General Odil Akmedov, who was in charge of the meeting, spoke on the topic of the first operation plan, General Stanislav Cherchesov, commander-in-chief of the Eastern Military District, attended the meeting via video communication, gave a briefing in person.

“Currently, the 41st Army of Dongbu County and Jungbu County has built a defense line along the Onon River. In particular, the entire power of the Red Armored Corps, a unit under the direct control of the 29th Army, is on standby to prevent the 20th Armored Division belonging to the 7th Mobile Corps from heading along the R431 road.”

“I don’t know if I’m concentrating too much power on one side because of one armored division.”

After listening to the explanation, General Marat Vikmaev, the commander in chief of the army, said, “You may think so, but the 20th Armored Division of the Republic of Korea Army is an armored unit with power that ranks in the top three combat ranks in the Republic of Korea military, both in name and reality. In addition, the 2nd Guards Army was immediately annihilated by the 20th Armored Division.”

For a moment, the operation meeting room roared. In fact, the 20th Armored Division (decisive battle) alone did not defeat the 2nd Guards Army in the Central Military District. However, since he was more active in the vanguard than the Capital Armored Division (Fierce Tiger) or the 77th Mechanized Infantry Division (Kukjin), General Marat Vikmaev was a little exaggerated.

“Isn’t that better than lacking? Keep going.”

After the meeting was interrupted for a while, General Vladimir Beshastnich directly resumed the meeting.

“Yes, Chief of Staff! Then I will continue to explain. Based on the aforementioned Red Armored Corps, below the west end of the Onon River, the 32nd Independent Motorized Rifle Division, 74th Independent Motorized Rifle Division, 84th Independent Motorized Rifle Division belonging to the 41st Army in the Central Military District, and the 27th Independent Motorized Rifle Division belonging to the Dongbu Military District Independence Corps. The Armored Division, its subordinate units, the 39th Motorized Infantry Division, and the 11th Armored Division, will be in charge of the defense front. In addition, five mobilization reserve vehicle divisions have been deployed as support units. In addition, the Dongbu Military District Headquarters and six mobilization reserve infantry divisions are on standby in the mountainous area behind. Finally, the 36th Motorized Infantry Division, which consolidated all units that reached the level of annihilation, is also scheduled to be deployed to the front line within two days after reorganization. That is it.”

It was a simple and clear briefing.

“Then what is the size of the South Korean army’s invasion units so far?”

Again, when General Marat Vikmaev, the commander-in-chief of the army, asked a question, General Marat Vikmaev immediately answered.

The invasion units of the enemy forces identified so far are heading along the plains of the Mongolian borderline, including the 20th Armored Division, the Water Armored Division, the 77th Mechanized Infantry Division, and five mechanized divisions that are not yet identified..