Seoul, July 15 : North Korea and Russia are set to launch a direct flight route between their capitals, Pyongyang and Moscow, later this month, a Russian news agency has reported.

Nordwind Airlines, a Russian budget passenger carrier, will begin direct flights linking the two cities on July 27, Yonhap news agency reported quoting Tass, citing Russia's transport ministry.

It will mark the first time that the North Korean and Russian capitals are linked by direct air service, the news agency said.

The new air route follows Russian aviation authorities' recent approval of Nordwind's request last month to operate direct flights between Pyongyang and Moscow twice a week.

Tass said the flight time is about eight hours.

Currently, North Korea and Russia have direct flights only between Pyongyang and Vladivostok.

As the two countries emerged as key partners for bilateral exchanges and cooperation following the signing of a mutual defence treaty in June last year, they have stepped up collaboration in various fields, including transportation.

Last month, the countries resumed direct rail service between Pyongyang and Moscow, as well as between Pyongyang and Khabarovsk, following COVID-19 suspensions. In April, they also began constructing a road bridge linking them across the Tumen River.

While visiting North Korea's eastern coastal city of Wonsan last week, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia plans to restore maritime transport routes between the countries.

/IANS