Moscow–Pyongyang alliance takes off with new direct air link
Air travel (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Following a recent military agreement, Russia and North Korea have launched direct air service, signaling further deepening of ties between the two isolated regimes — a development that has already raised concerns in the West, according to Bloomberg.
On the evening of Sunday, July 27, the first direct flight departed from a Moscow airport bound for the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. The move underscores the growing relationship between Russia and the isolated communist state.
The flight is operated by Russian airline Nordwind, and such flights are now expected to take place at least once a month.
This new air service marks the first direct and regular route between the two capitals in decades, supplementing the existing flights operated by North Korea’s airline Air Koryo between Pyongyang and Vladivostok, Russia’s Pacific port city.
The air connection is just one of many signs of the rapidly deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, as both nations face increasing international isolation due to their actions on the global stage.
In July 2025, North Korea’s foreign minister visited Russia. A month earlier, Russian Security Council head and former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled to Pyongyang, where he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. During the visit, Pyongyang reportedly agreed to send up to 6,000 additional troops to the Kursk region, reinforcing the estimated 15,000 North Korean soldiers who, according to Ukrainian intelligence, have already participated in combat on Russia’s side.
Cooperation between the two states significantly intensified after they signed a major military agreement in 2024, laying the groundwork for an expanded strategic partnership amid severe Western sanctions.
According to Ukrainian estimates, North Korea currently supplies up to 40% of the artillery munitions used by Russia in its war against Ukraine.
In December 2024, the US imposed sanctions on several North Korean generals, officials, and financial institutions for deploying tens of thousands of troops to support Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.
More recently, it was revealed that thousands of North Korean hackers posed as Americans, launched cyberattacks, and funneled funds to support the North Korean military.
