Russia–North Korea Launch Direct Flights to Boost Tourism Amid Isolation

Russia will launch direct Moscow–Pyongyang flights from July 27 in the newest intensification of relations with North Korea as Moscow’s isolation from the West grows. The twice-weekly Nordwind Airlines service cleared by the Russian civil aircraft regulator Rosaviatsia unlocks not just broader rare world access to the closed-down state but also symbolizes Moscow’s strategic shift to non-Western partners. With only sporadic air links available today between North Korea and the rest of the world, the Moscow–Pyongyang service becomes simultaneously a diplomatic and logistical lifeline, supporting a budding alliance amidst the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine and international sanctions. The latest evidence of the growing camaraderie between North Korea and Moscow was the announcement by the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) on Wednesday that Moscow would inaugurate regular commercial flights to Pyongyang later this month. The announcement was made in response to confirmation by the charter airline Nordwind late last week that it has been given formal clearance to fly the route. The new route is the first significant addition to air routes connecting the two nations, after they were only connected by the limited air route from Vladivostok to Pyongyang.