Kim Jong Un's sister denies Zelensky's claim of additional North Korean troops deployment to Russia

Kim Yo Jong, a high-ranking official in North Korea's ruling party and sister of leader Kim Jong Un, has vehemently denied Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's assertion that Pyongyang plans to send an additional 50,000 troops to Russia. Speaking through state media, Kim labeled Zelensky's claim as "groundless" and a "self-staged incident."

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groundless and a self-staged incident.

Zelensky had made the claim on X earlier this month, urging South Korea to support Ukraine's air defenses. Kim Yo Jong, however, shifted blame for the ongoing Ukraine crisis, stating that the United States and the West bear full responsibility for its outbreak and continuation. This statement comes as North Korea has reportedly provided significant military support to Russia, including an estimated 14,000 soldiers sent to Russia's Kursk Region in 2024 under a strategic partnership treaty.

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responsibility for the outbreak and for the prolongation of the Ukraine crisis lay entirely with the United States and the West.

Beyond troop deployments, Pyongyang has also supplied Russia with millions of artillery and mortar rounds, ballistic missiles, and rocket systems, according to assessments from Ukraine and independent observers. Kim Yo Jong also commented on US-North Korea relations, criticizing the US' "hostile policy" despite President Trump's efforts to reduce joint military drills with South Korea. She noted that while the relationship between Trump and Kim Jong Un was "truly great," Washington continued the drills, posing a threat to Pyongyang's national security.

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truly great