The first direct flight from Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, landed at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on Tuesday, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.
The air link between Moscow and Pyongyang opened on Sunday, marking closer ties between Russia and North Korea. The inaugural flight departed from Moscow on Sunday night and arrived in Pyongyang on Monday morning. The same aircraft returned to Moscow on Tuesday.
The flights are operated by Russian airline Nordwind Airlines using a Boeing 777-200ER, which can carry 440 passengers. The journey between Moscow and Pyongyang takes approximately eight hours, with initial ticket prices around €480.
Nordwind Airlines plans to operate flights between Moscow and Pyongyang once a month.
Russia and North Korea have intensified their military cooperation in recent years, with North Korea supplying weapons and troops to Russia for the war in Ukraine. Last year, the Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea, where the two nations signed a mutual defence agreement.
Air traffic between Russia and North Korea resumed in 2023 after interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Until now, there had been no direct commercial flights between Pyongyang and Moscow, despite 70 years of diplomatic relations.
North Korea is gradually easing tourism restrictions imposed during the pandemic. While general tourism remains prohibited, Russian tourists are permitted in specific areas via organised group tours. In April, international runners participated in a marathon in Pyongyang.
In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un unveiled plans for a new beach resort on the country’s east coast, where Pyongyang aims to host 20,000 visitors annually.
