Russia and North Korea are nearing completion of the first-ever road bridge between the two countries, spanning the Tumen River. The Ukrainian human rights group Truth Hounds believes that the crossing could primarily serve as a less conspicuous route for military logistics in Russia’s war against Ukraine, rather than merely for trade and tourism, as claimed by Moscow and Pyongyang.
Briefly about the main points
- North Korea has completed its section of the bridge, including the customs and quarantine facilities.
- The Russian side is behind schedule, but no new opening date has been announced.
- Truth Hounds considers road transport to be more convenient for covert shipments than rail.
- The bridge will be about one kilometre long, with two lanes and access roads.
- Zelenskyy stated that Russia is preparing to accept a further 30,000 North Korean troops.
The opening has been postponed due to Russia’s delay
A bridge is being built between the Russian town of Khasan in the Far East and the North Korean town of Tumangan. This is a sparsely populated border area, where the Tuman River forms the final few kilometres of the border before the coast.
North Korea has completed its section of the construction, including customs and quarantine facilities, ahead of the planned opening on 19 June. Russia did not manage to complete the work on its side, so the crossing did not open, and the parties have not announced a new date.
The bridge itself is about one kilometre long and seven metres wide, with two lanes. Including the approach roads, the total length of the crossing is 4.7 kilometres. Satellite images also show infrastructure being built on the Russian side, including a helipad.
Why are researchers talking about a military route?
The Russian authorities describe the project as a means of expanding trade, optimising logistics, strengthening cultural ties and promoting the development of the border region. The DPRK’s state news agency, KCNA, also links it to travel, tourism and the movement of goods.
However, an investigation by Truth Hounds, seen by The Guardian, reaches a different conclusion: the crossing appears to be more of a strategic infrastructure for the movement of North Korean military personnel, construction crews and officials into Russia, and, in the opposite direction, Russian technology and resources. The Kremlin was asked about these findings but did not respond.
Nazar Mygun, who led the open-source investigation by Truth Hounds, explained that road transport is more difficult to monitor via satellite. Lorries in satellite images mostly look similar; they can be loaded at different locations, and operations take place more quickly. Rail transport, by contrast, is tied to a limited number of hubs; the type of wagons and open-top freight often provide more clues about their contents.
The economic case seems weak
According to investigators’ estimates, the construction could have cost over 100 million dollars. At the same time, bilateral trade in 2024, according to the figures cited in the article, amounted to just 34 million dollars.
Tourist numbers are also limited: trips by Russians to North Korea These trips mainly take the form of guided tours, and in 2025 around 10,000 Russian tourists visited the country. Pyongyang, the destination for most foreign visitors, is situated more than 500 kilometres from the new crossing. Against this backdrop, the argument that the bridge serves a military purpose carries greater weight, according to Truth Hounds.
A new bridge against the backdrop of a deepening alliance
Construction began after Vladimir Putin і Kim Jong-un In June 2024, they signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement. Since then DPRK supplied Russia with troops, artillery ammunition and ballistic missiles for the war against Ukraine.
More than 14,000 North Korean soldiers fought alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region following the Ukrainian operation in August 2024. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia is preparing to accept a further 30,000 soldiers from the DPRK. At least 2,000 North Korean soldiers are believed to have been killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine; two seriously wounded soldiers were taken prisoner.
Next to the new bridge lies the Friendship Bridge — the only rail link between the two countries. Rail transport is complicated by the difference in track gauge, which requires the replacement of wheel sets to continue travelling on the networks of both countries. The road is free from this restriction, so it can complement the existing channel of cooperation and make bilateral exchanges less transparent to external monitoring.
