Russia's Settlement on the Laldong Peninsula Set Off Alarm Bells

Russia's settlement on the tip of the laldong peninsula was infuriating to the rising empire of japan. The yalu timber company was a private enterprise run by a brash and carismatic former russian cavalry officer who had visions of leading the russia empire beyond mancheria and into korea. And back in saint petersburg, this adventurous former cavalry officer used his contacts in the ministry to propose a plan where russians would be dressed up as and do the work of regular loggers. If it didn't work, if it blew up in their faces, the government could assert it was alla misguided private project, and they would publicly disavow it