Russia’s first direct flight from Moscow to Pyongyang, North Korea, took off Sunday evening, in a sign of deepening ties with the isolated Communist state.

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 first flight to North Korea operated by Russian carrier Nordwind took off from Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport carrying over 400 passengers.