Support The Moscow Times!

Kremlin Propagandist Swears by Kim Jong Un’s ‘Smile’

Vesti

Top Kremlin propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov has defended his use of a photograph featuring North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smiling against speculation that it was Photoshopped.


					Original photo from Flickr page of Russian Foreign Ministry
Original photo from Flickr page of Russian Foreign Ministry

Observers noted that Kim’s facial expression in Kiselyov’s Vesti Nedeli weekly program was noticeably more cheerful than in the official photograph of the meeting released last week. Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, met Kim in Pyongyang last Thursday to discuss the country’s denuclearization program and extend an invitation for the leader to visit Moscow.

“Definitely not,” Kiselyov told the Govorit Moskva radio station when asked whether Kim’s smile had been added to the photograph.

The pundit explained that high-profile meetings “always get photographed in high burst mode,” producing pictures with different sets of facial expressions.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more