21st century Goguryeo

Chapter 487: Season 2 Book 19 New China’s Participation in War – 6-2 Astonishment

January 6th, 2024, 23:30 (Ukraine time: 17:30)

Debaltseve, Donetsk, Ukraine

The 5th Marine Division and the Ukrainian Army’s 65th Motorized Infantry Division, which began the full-scale restoration operation of Donetsk Province on the 1st with Spartak, occupied most of Donetsk Oblast in six days and were now facing the last resistance in Donetsk’s capital, Donetsk, and here in Debaltseve.

As the capital, it was strongly defended by two rebels and one infantry division of Russia’s 46th Army of the Southern Military District. As a result, they had to call in three regiments of the 5th Marine Division (Jiryong) and one regiment of the 65th Motorized Infantry Division, which had been carrying out missions to maintain the occupied area, to participate in the occupation operation.

With the majority of the forces of the 5th Marine Division (Jiryong) deployed in Donetsk, the Sphinx Regiment, the rapid response regiment with the highest combat power among the other units of the 5th Marine Division (Jiryong), was deployed in Debaltseve.

Debaltseve was a city linked to the Luhansk Oblast and railroads, and it was a major military hub for delivering and supplying war materials. During the Donbas war in 2014, Ukrainian troops, rebels, and Russian troops fought the longest and bloodiest battle over it. However, the result was the defeat of the Ukrainian army, which cost them the most casualties.

<Pat Pat Pat!>

<Dudududududu~>

Dozens of flares lit up the entire southern tip of Debaltseve, and about ten CUM-M50 Super Surion helicopters approached with a low-altitude and distinct engine sound.

<Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!>

Surface-to-air missiles flew sporadically from all over the city toward them. They did, however, miss their targets because they were either intercepted by powerful radar jamming and forced to change course, or they self-destructed in the middle due to chaff and flares.

Moreover, because the CUM-M50 Super Surion helicopters’ bottom armors were made of hydronium alloy, the countless bullets from the various weapons that embellished the night sky bounced off them and created sparks.

While the ten CUM-M50 Super Surion helicopters were attempting to penetrate the center of the city, more than 70 C-23P-M mobile combat armored vehicles fired 50-millimeter plasma-activated carbon artillery shells from the 32 launchers mounted at the rear of the turret without any mercy.

<Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!>

The plasma-activated carbon artillery shells, which flew with a light firing sound and a smooth parabola, hit their targets accurately and exploded.

Even though they were only 50-millimeter in diameter and 300-millimeter in length, their explosive power was far greater than that of most 155-millimeter artillery shells.

At that time, over 700 plasma-activated carbon artillery shells were fired, sweeping away the surrounding area like a huge storm.

As a result of the massive attack, the rebel squad’s firearms, which had resisted fiercely at first, and the mortar shells, which were flying between the buildings, stopped.

“Go ahead!”

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At someone’s command, the Marines, who had gotten out of their armored vehicles in advance, began to run altogether.

<Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!>

<Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!>

The 70 C-23P-M mobile combat armored vehicles fired plasma-activated carbon artillery shells again as well as 50-millimeter photons.

With such strong firepower support, the Marines were able to quickly enter the city.

<Bba-bba-bba-bba-bang! Bba-bba-bba-bba-bang!>

As soon as they entered the city, 6P50 Kord 12.7-millimeter heavy machine guns began firing at them from the roof of a half-destroyed building from the direction of 11 o’clock.

<Ugh!>

Several Marine Corps were hit by the medium-caliber bullets fired at a rate of 700 shots per minute, causing them to fall to the slightly frozen floor, rolling around.

Fortunately, as they were wearing their protective and bulletproof suits, the bullets didn’t penetrate. However, they lost their balance due to the impact.

“It’s 280 meters away. The rooftop of the building that’s halfway down!” As soon as someone’s voice was heard through the communication, the Marines fired at once.

<Jjuung Jjuung Jjuung ~ Jjuung Jjuung Jjuung Jjuung~>

As a result of their continuous firing at the roof of the building, the heads of the shooters and their assistants, who were firing the heavy machine guns, were shattered and their brain matter splattered all over the roof.

In the meantime, the Marines who had fallen resumed their posture and jumped forward.

<Pa bang! Pa b aba b aba bang! Ba bang!>

<Piuuuuung! Kwang! Kwang!>

The rebels’ and Russian pro-defense forces’ resistance was formidable.

Despite the use of plasma-activated carbon artillery shells and red photons, their resistance remained strong, as if they were prepared to die.

“They’re a lot stronger than I expected.” Colonel Oh Sung-pil, commander of the Sphinx Regiment, who was watching the front engagement from the C-22-M command armored car, gently bit his lower lip as he realized that the resistance was formidable.

“It is only because the engagement has just begun. They will soon be divided as the air invasion is completed, Commander-in-Chief!” said Lieutenant Colonel Na Myung-joon, head of the regiment’s operations division, who was using another monitor to check on the situation of the 38th Aircraft Helicopter Squadron, which was currently invading the air.

“I hope so. When will it be completed?”

“They have reached their target point, and they’ll go down the rappel within the next minute.”

“Well, ask the commander of the 38th Battalion to fly over here after they finish their mission and provide us with some firepower support.”

“Yes, I will.”

<Keureureureung! Keureureureung!>

At the same time, the sound of tank engines could be heard from somewhere along with the sound of heavy caterpillars turning.

“Direction 9 o’clock! 8.2 kilometers away, a swarm of enemy tanks has appeared! T-80U tanks have been confirmed!” The appearance of Russian tanks, as confirmed by the solidarity reconnaissance company, was reported via the communication network.

“T-80U tanks. We are lucky that we hid them.”

The tank battalion of the Russian Pro-Defense Force hid 33 T-80U tanks in various locations on the western outskirts of Debaltseve, waiting for an opportunity. Believing that the Marine Corps lacked tanks, they emerged from their concealment.

The 33 T-80U tanks, which had previously been used on a large scale in Korea, approached quickly with their distinctive gas turbine engine sounds, aiming at the 74th Battalion.

“Will the 74th Battalion be sufficient?”

“Yes, it won’t be a problem.”

“Good! The 74th Battalion will then change course to deal with them, while the 56th Battalion will continue to advance toward the city as planned.”

“Yes, I’ll deliver the order.”

After a while, the 74th Battalion Armored Vehicles, which had received the regiment commander’s order, immediately changed directions to deal with the approaching T-80U tanks. They then fired 50-millimeter photons in quick succession.

Photons with an effective range of 10 kilometers flew at light speed and smashed the front armor of the leading T-80U tanks.

The T-80U tanks, which had been hit hard, came to a halt and red particle-shaped flames erupted from the holes.

Unless it was a T-14B Armata tank with a 16MJ railgun, confronting the C-23P-M mobile combat armored vehicles equipped with the 50-millimeter photon cannon and hydronium alloy armor were like moths leaping into a fire pit.

As a result, as many as ten T-80U tanks were covered in dark red flames as their long barrels hung on the floor, bringing the maneuver to a halt.

After receiving an unexpected blow from an unforeseen distance, the remaining T-80U tanks performed evasive maneuvers to the left and right and fired smoke grenades.

Their smoke grenades, however, were useless in the face of the C-23P-M mobile combat armored vehicles, which were outfitted with cutting-edge technology.

When comparing the First and Second Northeast Asian Wars, the Republic of Korea’s armored fighting capability was much stronger, to the point where they could deal with third-generation tanks using only armored vehicles.

In less than ten minutes, the tank battalion that attempted to seize the opportunity to win the war by unexpectedly attacking the side of the Sphinx Regiment was defeated.

Just as Lieutenant Colonel Na Myung-joon had predicted, the rebels and friendly forces that had been fiercely resisting in the early stages of the war began to collapse as a result of the successful invasion of the city center by the Marines. Debaltseve, with a population of 50,000, fell into the hands of the Sphinx Regiment four hours after the war began.

At the same time, the battle in Donetsk, the capital of Donetsk, was called off six hours after Debaltseve fell, with the rebels and the remaining soldiers of the pro-defense forces surrendering.

As such, the 5th Marine Corps (Jiryong) turned the entire Donetsk Province into Ukrainian territory only seven days after starting the Donetsk recovery operation. It was a tremendous record that would remain in wartime history.

* * *

January 7th, 2024, 22:00 (New China time: 21:00)

X-15 bunkers, Beijing, New China

With only an hour left before the massive retaliatory attack from South Korea, the General Chief of Staff Yuan Xiaoqiao, as well as several staff members who could be called his aides, were absent.

“Where’s the General Chief of Staff?” asked President Wang Jing-wi, who had entered the operation room with his party official.

However, none of them answered, as they didn’t know about the whereabouts of the General Chief of Staff.

“Cat got your tongue?”

When he criticized them angrily, Executive Chief Kao Wei-kwang reluctantly replied, “An hour ago, he said he had something personal to attend to, and gave me the command of the operation room.”

“An hour ago?”

“Yes, Mr. President!”

“In this critical situation, what does he mean by ‘personal business’? Is he out of his mind?” He looked at him and then at the General Staff commanders who were standing still. “Tell him to come to the operation room right now!”

At this time, the operator in charge of communication with the rank of Colonel carefully spoke out. “There was a report from the first guard post outside the main gate about 30 minutes ago that the General Chief of Staff has gone out.”

“What? Outside? Why didn’t you report it to me then?” asked Executive Chief Kao Wei-kwang.

“That…” The operator in charge of communications was speechless, as he thought he had done something very wrong.

“Aren’t you going to answer?”

When asked again, the operator in charge of communication replied truthfully in a hoarse voice. “Because the Chief of Staff said he’d be back soon, he told me to only inform the staff in the operating room and not to report it to the superiors...”

The operator in charge of communication trailed off the end of his sentence again, and then he looked away.

“What does he think…” He couldn’t say anything because subordinates must obey the orders of the military’s top commander, so all Executive Chief Kao Wei-kwang could do was shake his head, indicating that he couldn’t understand why he had to leave when the South Korean military was about to launch a massive attack.

“Secretary of the General Chief of Staff!”

“Yes, Executive Chief.”

“Try calling the General Chief of Staff on his cell phone.”

“Yes, I’ll contact him right away.”

At the same time as the answer, the secretary of the General Chief of Staff took out his smartphone and called him. After a while, he reported with a grim look, “I think his cell phone has been turned off. There’s no signal.”

At that moment, President Wang Jing-wi’s face was severely distorted and he screamed, “Right now! Use the military police to find out where the General Chief of Staff is! Right now!”

“Yes.”

General Chief of Staff Yuan Xiaoqiao, who had turned the entire situation room upside down, had boarded a plane secretly arranged by Defense Minister Jang Yue Fung and his aides and was leisurely flying out of Beijing over the southern end. The four plasma missiles that were reported to have either failed or been intercepted by the 200th Strategic Artillery Brigade last night were contained in a safety box in the plane’s cargo compartment.

The commanders of the General Chief of Staff, who were not aware of this, used all available means to find his location, but all their efforts were in vain.