Russia and North Korea inaugurated the first road bridge over the Tumen River, strengthening the rapprochement between Moscow and Pyongyang

Russia and North Korea have inaugurated the first road bridge linking the two countries, built over the Tumen River, in a new sign of growing ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. The ceremony was attended remotely by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and North Korean Prime Minister Pak Thae Song.

The bridge is just over one kilometer long and is the first direct road link between the two states. Until now, Russia and North Korea were connected by land only by rail, via the so-called Friendship Bridge. Construction of the new structure began at the end of April 2025.

The bridge is named after Yakov Tikhonovich Novichenko, a Soviet officer who, according to historical accounts, saved Kim Il Sung in 1946 by throwing himself over a grenade intended for the North Korean leader. At the inauguration, a red Zaporozhets automobile that belonged to Novichenko led the vehicle convoy from the Russian side.

The agreement to build the bridge was signed in June 2024, during Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang. During the same period, the two countries concluded a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that intensified political, economic and military cooperation, including the involvement of North Korean soldiers alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine. " ,