North Korea Russia and Ukraine entangled in rising axis of military and diplomatic ties as direct flights resume and soldiers from Pyongyang bolster Russian front in Ukraine

Published on July 31, 2025

Now North Korea, Russia and Ukraine are at the epicenter of a nascent geopolitical bloc: Pyongyang and Moscow established direct air links for the first time since the early 1990s—an aviation milestone reflective of their deepening military and diplomatic collaboration. This move follows North Korea’s recent public acknowledgment that it is sending in troops to assist the Russian military at the front in war-torn Ukraine, with plans of entering into a mutual defense agreement. The full-capacity Boeing 777 flight, courtesy of Nordwind Airlines, represents more than mere transportation: It is the physical manifestation of a strategic nexus between two pariah states joined not only by mutual antipathy toward Western powers but that are increasingly linked by military cooperation in an active war zone.

North Korea Resumes Direct Air Link to Russia After Decades With Full Pyongyang to Moscow Flight

A direct passenger flight from North Korea touched down in Moscow on Tuesday morning, marking the revival of air links between Pyongyang and the Russian capital after nearly thirty years of inactivity. The flight is the latest signal of a rapidly deepening partnership between the two countries, with military, diplomatic, and now commercial aviation ties becoming more visible.

The aircraft, a Boeing 777 operated by Russia’s Nordwind Airlines, successfully completed the round-trip journey that began with a departure from Moscow to Pyongyang on Sunday. The return leg landed at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport at 7:50 a.m. GMT on Tuesday, as confirmed by the airport’s flight tracking system. This round trip signifies the re-establishment of a direct air corridor between North Korea and Russia — a move not seen since the early 1990s.

According to reports from Russia’s state media, the 440-seat aircraft flew at full capacity, with the majority of passengers being North Korean nationals. Among those on board was a Russian diplomat, Matvei Krivosheyev, who described the event as the first direct commercial flight between the two capitals in nearly three decades.

This air route revival comes amid a period of intensifying cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. The two nations have significantly strengthened their strategic alignment in recent years, particularly in light of ongoing geopolitical tensions and mutual international isolation. North Korea, which remains under heavy international sanctions, has increasingly looked to Russia as a key ally in diplomatic and economic matters.

The relationship between the two countries has gone beyond symbolic gestures, with tangible support exchanged on the battlefield. In a rare admission earlier this year, North Korea acknowledged for the first time that its troops had been deployed alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. This public confirmation followed multiple intelligence reports suggesting Pyongyang’s military support for Moscow’s war efforts. North Korean soldiers are believed to be stationed on the frontlines, providing logistical and possibly combat assistance.

Further evidence of this tightening alliance was seen last year when Russian President Vladimir Putin made a high-profile visit to North Korea. During that trip, the two sides signed a formal mutual defense agreement, pledging support for one another in the event of external aggression. The pact was widely viewed as a Cold War-style military alignment, underscoring both countries’ defiance of Western pressure.

The reopening of the Pyongyang-Moscow air route is expected to serve both political and practical purposes. Beyond symbolic significance, the flight allows for the transportation of officials, diplomats, and potentially goods and humanitarian supplies. Analysts believe this could be the first of more frequent flights in the future, particularly as sanctions and isolationist policies continue to limit both countries’ travel and trade options.

Before this week’s flight, travel between North Korea and Russia had primarily relied on a limited number of overland crossings and occasional charter flights. The direct air route now offers a faster, more efficient connection that could prove crucial for coordination between the two capitals, especially amid mounting global scrutiny and ongoing military developments.

It is not yet clear whether the Pyongyang-Moscow flight will become a regularly scheduled service, but officials on both sides have hinted at increased transport and exchange agreements moving forward. For North Korea, this development could open the door to more regional connectivity, especially as China remains cautious in its post-pandemic interactions with Pyongyang.

Russia, on the other hand, gains a vital strategic partner in East Asia and a means to counterbalance Western influence in the Pacific. The Kremlin’s outreach to North Korea also plays into its broader policy of expanding alliances with states willing to challenge the Western-led international order.

In the context of ongoing hostilities in Ukraine and growing tension with NATO members, Moscow appears to be pursuing a “pivot East” strategy—aligning itself more closely with authoritarian states, including North Korea and Iran, to establish new security and trade frameworks independent of Western sanctions.

Tuesday’s landing of the Nordwind-operated Boeing 777 in Moscow is more than a simple aviation event. It is a manifestation of two isolated states drawing closer in the face of shared opposition, using airspace as a literal and symbolic bridge between regimes that increasingly rely on one another for military and diplomatic survival.

North Korea Russia and Ukraine front and centre in major geopolitical shift as first ever Pyongyang to Moscow flight in 30 years seen landing amid increasing military ties

After a decades-long hiatus, a direct flight — from Pyongyang to Moscow — is back, reflecting the deepening of ties between the two countries at a time when they both are trying to forge a stronger military bond over events in Ukraine.

While Russia searches for alternatives to traditional Western alliances and North Korea seeks partners more accepting of its policies, the Pyongyang-Moscow flight could be a small but symbolic component of a larger geopolitical recalculation.