Pyongyang on Alert Over Russian Cargo Planes: Concerns of Missile Transfers and Military Cooperation

North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, has once again witnessed mysterious visits from Russian military aircraft in recent days. Satellite imagery and flight tracking data show Il-76 cargo planes departing from Moscow and landing at Pyongyang International Airport. Analyses suggest these flights may be linked to missile transfers, military shipments, and the repatriation of remains.

Suspicious Flights According to NK Pro Analysis

On the morning of 11 August, two Il-76 military cargo planes took off from Moscow and disappeared from radar over Khabarovsk and Novosibirsk.

Planet Labs satellite imagery taken the same day revealed two foreign aircraft, consistent in size with the Il-76, at Pyongyang Airport.

The images confirmed that the aircraft did not belong to North Korea’s flag carrier, Air Koryo.

Aircraft Under US Sanctions

One of the suspicious planes was the Il-76MD with tail number RA-78817. The US sanctioned this aircraft in January 2024 after confirming its use in the transfer of North Korean ballistic missiles in November 2023. According to Flightradar24, the plane disappeared north of Khabarovsk on 11 August and was estimated to have landed in Pyongyang about two hours later.

The other aircraft, an Il-76MD-90A with tail number RF-78664, has previously disappeared from radar multiple times in areas close to North Korea.

Possibility of Covert Military Traffic

The recent surge in flight activity has raised the following possibilities:

• Transfer of ballistic missiles and ammunition

• Deployment of North Korean troops

• Repatriation of fallen soldiers

• Acquisition of new aircraft or military modernisation

On 8 August, a smaller Russian military passenger jet also made a brief stopover in Pyongyang, drawing attention.

Deepening Kremlin–Pyongyang Relations

During Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June 2024, at least five Il-76 aircraft arrived in North Korea, highlighting the scale of military cooperation between the two nations. Washington and Kyiv accuse Moscow and Pyongyang of using Russian cargo planes for the transfer of troops and weapons.

While officials remain silent, experts stress that these flights may signal the deepening of a covert military alliance between Russia and North Korea.