Russia’s Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov arrived in Pyongyang on Monday aboard the first direct flight from Moscow to North Korea in decades, marking a renewed phase of cooperation between the two countries.

The visit comes as Moscow and Pyongyang ramp up economic and technological engagement amid growing Western isolation. Kozlov’s delegation flew on a Nordwind Airlines flight that departed from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on Sunday evening and landed in Pyongyang the next day — the first regular air connection between the two capitals since the mid-1990s.

In Pyongyang, Kozlov met North Korea’s External Economic Relations Minister Yun Jong-ho. Both officials co-chair the Intergovernmental Committee for Cooperation in Trade, Economy, and Science and Technology. According to North Korea’s state media KCNA, the two ministers reviewed the implementation of a protocol signed during last year’s committee meeting and held separate working-level discussions to advance cooperation across sectors.

Kozlov also paid a courtesy visit to North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song. During an official reception, Yun praised the resumption of the air link as a “clear sign of rapidly evolving bilateral friendship.” Kozlov highlighted potential growth in transportation and logistics between the two countries.

To commemorate the event, North Korea hosted a ceremony celebrating the resumption of the Moscow-Pyongyang air route. The Nordwind Airlines flight is expected to operate once a month to meet rising demand.

The renewed air link and high-level visit underscore the strengthening relationship between Russia and North Korea, particularly in trade and technology, as both nations seek alternative partnerships amid international sanctions and geopolitical shifts.