On Sunday, July 28th, 2025, Russia inaugurated a direct passenger flight between Moscow and Pyongyang, underscoring the deepening ties between the two countries.
Operated by the Russian airline Nordwind, the flight took off from Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow on the 27th, carrying over 400 passengers bound for North Korea. This marks the reopening of the passenger air route between Moscow and Pyongyang after many years.
The Russian Ministry of Transport announced that there will be a monthly regular flight on this route to meet the demand.
Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited the newly built Wonsan-Kalma Beach Resort in North Korea, where he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and pledged to encourage Russian tourists to visit this comprehensive resort.
The resort, capable of accommodating nearly 20,000 people, is a key project promoted by Kim Jong-un to try to improve the country’s economic challenges.
North Korea has gradually eased the restrictions imposed during the pandemic and has started reopening its borders in phases. However, it remains uncertain whether the country will fully resume international travel.
This is the second direct passenger flight route between Russia and North Korea. Regular flights between the Russian port city of Vladivostok and Pyongyang were temporarily suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in 2023.
In recent years, Russia and North Korea have been expanding military and other forms of cooperation, including Pyongyang providing weapons to Moscow and sending soldiers to support Russia’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.