North Korea-Russia road bridge nears completion, satellite images show

The first road bridge linking North Korea and Russia is nearing completion, according to satellite imagery analysed on 7 May.

The crossing spans the Tumen River and sits a few hundred metres from the existing rail link between the two countries.

The latest images show the kilometre-long bridge alongside new access roads, a border checkpoint, support infrastructure and parking facilities.

The bridge is known as the Khasan-Tumangang Bridge.

Russia's transport ministry has said the crossing is designed to handle up to 300 vehicles and 2,850 people a day.

Russian state media has estimated the cost at more than 9bn roubles.

The development matters because it would create a new road route between two countries that have deepened ties since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Analysts quoted in the report said the bridge could be used for trade and logistics, including the transfer of goods across the border.

An agreement to build the crossing was reached during Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang in June 2024, when he met Kim Jong Un.

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