Russia and North Korea further fostered their budding alliance with the construction of a new bridge connection between the two countries that have been increasingly isolated from the West.

The land bridge over the Tumannaya River will be the first road link between the two countries — previously, all contact occurred through a railroad bridge, constructed in 1959. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song both attended the ground-breaking ceremony via video link, hailing the event as a watershed moment in Russia-North Korea relations.