Nordwind Airlines, a Russian carrier that previously serviced routes to Europe, is now flying its country’s first direct flight from Moscow to Pyongyang in decades.
The new eight-hour Boeing 777 flight, which launched on Sunday, comes as Russia and North Korea have rapidly strengthened ties amid the war in Ukraine.
State media outlet TASS reported that Russian authorities gave Nordwind permission in early July to fly to North Korea, and that the airline is expected to run flights once a month to Pyongyang.
Russia’s transport ministry said in a Sunday statement that the new route was a first for Moscow in 77 years.
“For the first time in more than 70 years of diplomatic relations, we are launching direct flights between the capitals of our countries,” Vladimir Poteshkin, Russia’s deputy transport minister, was quoted as saying in the statement.
Nordwind previously operated dozens of international routes, including to Spain, Germany, the Maldives, Mexico, and Thailand.
But almost all have been shut down as Russia’s international relations broke down after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The European Union bans Russian flights, while many Russian airlines have also closed their international operations.
Nordwind, which lists a fleet of Boeing and Airbus planes on its website, has been mostly operating domestic routes in the meantime.
Its first flight to North Korea left Moscow at 7:25 p.m. on Sunday and arrived in Pyongyang at 3:30 a.m., according to the Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport’s flight tracker.
A return flight is scheduled for Tuesday. TASS reported that both flights, with tickets costing about $550, were fully booked.
While this is the first 21st-century flight between both capitals, Russians could already fly to North Korea before this. A North Korean airline, Air Koryo, operates flights from Pyongyang to Vladivostok, a Russian city on the Sea of Japan that’s roughly 80 miles from North Korea.
The newest flight is a further sign of rapport between Russia and North Korea, the latter of which has been supplying the Kremlin with troops, weapons, and ammunition to maintain its offensive pace in Ukraine.
The partnership is sparking deep concern in the West and South Korea, which fear the arrangement is bolstering the technical expertise and resources of North Korea’s military.
Nordwind’s cross-capital flight also comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pushed hard to reopen his country to international tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, he unveiled a massive beachfront resort that appeared to feature hotels, apartments, shopping malls, and a water park.
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