Moscow to Launch Direct Flights to Pyongyang as Russia Strengthens Ties with North Korea

Russia is set to initiate direct flights from Moscow to the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, later this month, as announced by the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) on Wednesday.

The Russian civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, has granted a license to the charter airline Nordwind to run flights between Moscow and Pyongyang twice a week. It is reported that Nordwind submitted its license application in June.

At present, the only direct air connection between Russia and North Korea consists of a twice-weekly flight by Air Koryo between Pyongyang and Vladivostok, a city in Far East Russia. This route resumed in August 2023 after a three-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Around the same time that flights between Vladivostok and Pyongyang restarted, Rosaviatsia was said to have encouraged Russian airlines to establish regular services to North Korea following discussions with North Korean aviation officials.

As per ATOR, Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow included flights to Pyongyang in its schedule starting from July 27.

Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, North Korea has positioned itself as one of Russia’s closest allies. The United States and its allies have accused Pyongyang of providing Russia with artillery and ballistic missiles for use in Ukraine.

Russian high-ranking officials have undertaken several significant visits to North Korea, and a mutual defense agreement was signed between the two nations during President Vladimir Putin’s trip to Pyongyang last year.