Direct flights connect North Korea and Russia amid growing ties
- Nordwind Airlines will operate direct flights linking Pyongyang and Moscow starting July 27, 2025, lasting approximately eight hours.
- This coming flight schedule aims to build sustainable demand for travel between the two countries, amidst increasing military collaboration.
- The initiate marks a significant step in North Korea's reopening to international tourism, predominantly focused on relations with Russia.
In July 2025, North Korea announced the start of direct flights between its capital, Pyongyang, and Moscow, Russia's capital. The Russian Transport Ministry revealed that Nordwind Airlines would operate these flights beginning on July 27, making this the first time the two capitals will be connected directly by air. The flight will take approximately eight hours, and the airlines plan to sustain a monthly flight schedule to build demand. This development comes in the context of strengthening military and economic relations between North Korea and Russia, especially as North Korea has begun to supply troops and weapons to assist Moscow in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This enhancement of travel links reflects a significant shift in North Korea’s approach to international interactions, particularly following the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, Russia has been a primary source of visitors to North Korea, signaling a reopening of its borders to foreign tourists. In the past year, travelers from Russia were the first to return on the Pyongyang-Vladivostok Air Koryo route, showing a burgeoning interest in cross-border tourism between the two nations. Additionally, North Korea has resumed direct rail services linking Pyongyang and Moscow after a prolonged hiatus. The resumption of these transport links highlights a deeper integration of North Korea into the socio-economic sphere of Russia, further emphasized by recent visits from Russian officials, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, to North Korean resorts aimed at boosting tourism. Lavrov's visit, coinciding with the announcement of new flight services, showcases the mutual interests shared by both nations amid an international backdrop of sanctions and diplomatic isolation. As these direct flights commence, they are likely to play a significant role in facilitating not just tourism but also deeper bilateral cooperation between Russia and North Korea. The connections fostered through air travel may enhance military collaboration and underscore the importance of this relationship as both nations navigate a complex geopolitical landscape.