Kim Yo Jong rejects Zelenskyy’s claims of North Korean troop deployment to Russia

Kim Yo Jong, a high-ranking official and sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has dismissed claims made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding the deployment of additional North Korean troops to Russia. Zelenskyy recently asserted that Pyongyang intends to send 50,000 more soldiers to support its ally, a claim Kim Yo Jong characterized as an ‘unfounded’ and ‘staged incident’ via the KCNA news agency.

While Kim Yo Jong denied the specific claim of a new 50,000-man deployment, existing assessments suggest North Korea has already sent approximately 14,000 soldiers to Russia’s Kursk region in 2024. This military cooperation follows a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement reached during Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June 2024. Reports also indicate that North Korea has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles, artillery, and various munitions.

Kim Yo Jong further criticized Western and U.S. policies, stating that the United States and its allies are responsible for the continuation of the Ukrainian crisis. She noted that despite recent reductions in U.S. military exercises with South Korea, the ‘hostile policy’ toward North Korea remains unchanged, threatening Pyongyang’s national security.