Russian tourists can look forward to easier North Korean vacations following the introduction of direct flights between the two countries. Visits to Europe have become increasingly challenging for Russians following their country’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but now the world has just gotten a little bigger for passport holders, after the first Nordwind Airlines flight lifted off from Moscow to Pyongyang this week. Prior to the war—and subsequent travel sanctions—Nordwind operated flights to vacation destinations around the continent, but most European countries have made Russian access harder, while Latvia, Norway, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic have introduced near-blanket travel bans, as per CNN. A Nordwind employee, who gave his name to AFP via The Guardian only as Oleg, said: “This is a historical event, strengthening the ties between our nations.” The eight-hour flight is scheduled to depart once a month at the time of writing. Vladimir Poteshkin, Russia’s deputy transport minister, said on Telegram: “For the first time in more than 70 years of diplomatic relations, we are launching direct flights between the capitals of our countries.”
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