Russia will launch direct passenger flights from Moscow to North Korea’s capital Pyongyang on Sunday, Russian authorities said, as the two former communist bloc allies move to improve ties following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The start of regular flights between the capitals for the first time since the mid-1990s, according to Russian aviation blogs, follows the resumption of Moscow-Pyongyang passenger rail service, a 10-day journey, in June. The first flight will leave Sheremetyevo airport at 7 p.m. (1600 GMT), according to the airport’s timetable.

Russia will launch direct passenger flights from Moscow to North Korea’s capital Pyongyang on Sunday, Russian authorities said, as the two former communist bloc allies move to…

The Moscow-Pyongyang flights operated by Russia’s Nordwind Airlines will initially operate only once a month