Russia and North Korea to Open Direct Moscow–Pyongyang Flights as Ties Deepen

It would become the fourth direct air route into Pyongyang.

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after a signing ceremony following their bilateral talks at Kumsusan state residence in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024. Kristina Kormilitsyna / Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Direct flights between the capitals of Russia and North Korea will begin later this month, Russia’s national tourism industry group said.

The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) said on July 9 on its official Telegram channel that Rosaviatsia, the Russian federal government’s aviation regulator, has granted a license to the charter airline Nordwind to operate flights between Moscow and Pyongyang up to twice a week.