Latest news with #militaryties
Russia Today
a day ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Lavrov praises ‘fraternal ties' with North Korea
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has described North Korea as one of Moscow's most reliable allies in Asia, citing decades of fraternal and military ties, and praising Pyongyang's support amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Speaking at the 'Territory of Meanings' youth forum on Monday, Lavrov named the DPRK as a core partner in what he called the emerging multipolar world order. 'We have a great many partners, like-minded states, and allies,' he said. 'Together, we are laying the foundation for a new world order based on sovereignty and civilizational continuity.' 'Our closest ally in the West is certainly the Republic of Belarus. In the East, our closest ally is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, with which we are linked by decades of fraternal, military ties,' Lavrov added. We helped our Korean neighbors gain independence; they helped us liberate the Kursk Region from Ukrainian neo-Nazis. Lavrov positioned North Korea alongside China, India, Turkey, and Iran as 'great civilizations' of Eurasia contributing to what he called the objective and unstoppable formation of a multipolar world. 'A multipolar world is taking shape,' he said. 'No sanctions, no trade wars, no provocations of 'hot conflicts' will stop it. The multipolar world will prevail over this attempt to delay the natural course of history.' He accused the United States and its allies of provoking instability in Northeast Asia, pointing to growing military activity near the Korean Peninsula. Lavrov warned that joint exercises involving the US, South Korea, and Japan increasingly include 'nuclear components' and represent a dangerous escalation. He also condemned the expansion of NATO's presence into the region and dismissed Washington's 'Indo-Pacific' strategy as a tool for containing China and isolating Russia. The strategy, he said, undermines regional cooperation and encourages militarization under Western control. Russia and North Korea signed a defense pact in June 2024, after which Pyongyang dispatched troops to help expel Ukrainian forces from Russia's Kursk Region later that year. Russian officials have since announced that thousands of North Korean personnel, including mine clearance experts and military engineers, will be deployed to support post-conflict recovery efforts in the area.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Moscow starts direct flights to North Korea amid decline in options for Russian tourists
Direct flights from Moscow to North Korea have begun this week, amid a strengthening of ties between the two nations and a decline in options for Russian tourists travelling abroad. The first Moscow-Pyongyang flight, operated by Russia's Nordwind Airlines, took off on Sunday, according to the Sheremetyevo airport's website, and landed in the North Korean capital about eight hours later. The route will initially be serviced only once a month, Russia's transport ministry said, with the first return flight from Pyongyang to Moscow taking place on Tuesday. Nordwind Airlines – which used to carry Russians to holiday destinations in Europe before the EU imposed a ban on Russian flights – had tickets priced at 45,000 rubles ($570). 'This is a historical event, strengthening the ties between our nations,' Oleg, a Nordwind employee managing the flight who did not want to give his full name, told Agence France-Presse at the airport. He also declined to say how many passengers were onboard. Russia and North Korea have been forging closer military bonds in recent years, with Pyongyang supplying troops and weapons for Russia's military operations in Ukraine. They signed a mutual defence pact last year when the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, visited North Korea. 'For the first time in more than 70 years of diplomatic relations, we are launching direct flights between the capitals of our countries,' Russia's deputy transport minister, Vladimir Poteshkin, was quoted as saying on the ministry's Telegram account. It comes as North Korea pushes its own tourism drive, as it slowly relaxes restrictions on overseas visitors introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Regular tourism is still effectively banned, although Russian tourists have been allowed to visit certain parts of the country on group tours, and foreign runners competed in a marathon in Pyongyang in April. In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un launched a new beach resort located on the country's east coast which authorities reportedly hope will attract 20,000 visitors a year. With Agence France-Presse
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
First direct commercial flight launched between Russia and North Korea
Russia has inaugurated a new regular air service between Moscow and Pyongyang, a development underscoring the deepening relationship between the two nations. The inaugural flight, operated by Russian carrier Nordwind, departed Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on Sunday with more than 400 passengers aboard. Russia's Transport Ministry confirmed plans for one monthly flight to accommodate demand. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who visited North Korea's new Wonsan-Kalma beach resort earlier this month to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, promised to encourage Russian tourists to visit the complex. The resort, which can accommodate nearly 20,000 people, is at the center of Kim's push to boost tourism to improve his country's troubled economy. North Korea has been slowly easing the curbs imposed during the pandemic and reopening its borders in phases. But the country hasn't said if it would fully resume international tourism. Regular flights between Russia's eastern port city of Vladivostok and Pyongyang reopened in 2023 following a break caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Russia and North Korea have sharply expanded military and other ties in recent years, with Pyongyang supplying weapons and troops to back Russia's military action in Ukraine.
CNN
2 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Russia starts direct commercial flights between Moscow and Pyongyang
Russia Asia North Korea Aviation newsFacebookTweetLink Follow Russia on Sunday opened a regular air link between Moscow and Pyogyang, a move reflecting increasingly close ties between the two countries. The first flight operated by Russian carrier Nordwind took off from Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport carrying over 400 passengers. Russia's Transport Ministry said there will be one flight a month to meet demand. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who visited North Korea's new Wonsan-Kalma beach resort earlier this month to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, promised to encourage Russian tourists to visit the complex. The resort, which can accommodate nearly 20,000 people, is at the center of Kim's push to boost tourism to improve his country's troubled economy. North Korea has been slowly easing the curbs imposed during the pandemic and reopening its borders in phases. But the country hasn't said if it would fully resume international tourism. Regular flights between Russia's eastern port city of Vladivostok and Pyongyang reopened in 2023 following a break caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Russia and North Korea have sharply expanded military and other ties in recent years, with Pyongyang supplying weapons and troops to back Russia's military action in Ukraine.
CNN
2 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Russia starts direct commercial flights between Moscow and Pyongyang
Russia on Sunday opened a regular air link between Moscow and Pyogyang, a move reflecting increasingly close ties between the two countries. The first flight operated by Russian carrier Nordwind took off from Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport carrying over 400 passengers. Russia's Transport Ministry said there will be one flight a month to meet demand. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who visited North Korea's new Wonsan-Kalma beach resort earlier this month to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, promised to encourage Russian tourists to visit the complex. The resort, which can accommodate nearly 20,000 people, is at the center of Kim's push to boost tourism to improve his country's troubled economy. North Korea has been slowly easing the curbs imposed during the pandemic and reopening its borders in phases. But the country hasn't said if it would fully resume international tourism. Regular flights between Russia's eastern port city of Vladivostok and Pyongyang reopened in 2023 following a break caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Russia and North Korea have sharply expanded military and other ties in recent years, with Pyongyang supplying weapons and troops to back Russia's military action in Ukraine.
