A direct flight connecting Moscow, the capital of Russia, and Pyongyang, North Korea, is set to start operations.
According to Reuters on the 27th (local time), the first direct flight will depart from Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow at 7 p.m. that day. Until now, the only direct flights between the two countries were from Vladivostok to Pyongyang.
This flight will operate with a Boeing 777-200ER and will take a total of 8 hours. Ticket prices started at 44,700 rubles (approximately 770,000 won) and are reported to have sold out quickly.
Earlier, last month, the Russian airline Nordwind requested permission from the Russian aviation authority for a direct route from Moscow to Pyongyang twice a week, and the authority granted it on the 9th.
Contrary to the initial request, flights between Moscow and Pyongyang will be operated once a month for the time being. The Russian Ministry of Transport explained that this is to create stable demand.
Recently, Russia and North Korea have been strengthening their ties. Following the groundbreaking of the Tumen River bridge connecting the two countries by land on April 30, last month, they resumed direct train services between Moscow and Pyongyang, and Khabarovsk and Pyongyang, which had been suspended due to COVID-19 in 2020.