The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) announced that Russia is set to launch first ever direct passenger air service between Moscow and Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, later in July.
Right now, the only direct air connection between Russian Federation and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is a twice-weekly flight operated by Air Koryo, which connects Pyongyang and Vladivostok, a city in Far East Russia. This route was relaunched in August 2023 after being suspended for three years due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
According to ATOR, the civil aviation authority of Russia, Rosaviatsia, has granted a license to the charter airline Nordwind to operate flights between Moscow and Pyongyang twice weekly. Nordwind submitted its application for the license in June.
Shortly after the air travel between Vladivostok and Pyongyang was reinstated, Rosaviatsia had reportedly urged Russian air carriers to launch regular routes to North Korea, following the talks with representatives of North Korean civil aviation sector.
ATOR reported that Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport has already incorporated flights to Pyongyang into its schedule beginning July 27, 2025.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in 2022, North Korea has emerged as one of Putin regime’s closest allies. The United States and its partners have accused Pyongyang of providing Russia with artillery and ballistic missiles intended for use in Ukraine.
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