Nordwind Airlines has requested permission to operate direct Moscow–Pyongyang flights, signaling a possible new air connection between Russia and North Korea. The request, submitted to Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya), seeks approval for service up to twice a week.

If granted, this route would reestablish a direct air corridor between the two capitals, which currently lack scheduled commercial flights. For now, travelers moving between Russia and North Korea must rely on alternative and less direct means, such as charter flights or overland routes via China.

The move follows a growing trend of renewed travel links between the two countries. Earlier in June, direct train services between Pyongyang and both Moscow and Khabarovsk resumed. These rail routes had been suspended in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pyongyang–Moscow rail line, in particular, is now once again the longest non-stop passenger train route in the world, covering more than 10,000 kilometers over a span of eight days.

The potential launch of commercial flights comes as part of a wider return to travel for North Korea, which remained largely closed to the outside world during the pandemic years. While the number of foreign visitors is still tightly controlled, transport links like this may signal increased diplomatic and tourism activity between Russia and the DPRK.

Nordwind Airlines, a Russian carrier known for its charter and scheduled services across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, has not yet announced a launch date or aircraft type for the proposed Pyongyang route. Flights would depart from Moscow, likely using Sheremetyevo International Airport as a base, although final details will depend on approval from aviation authorities.