The Kremlin announced today that Russia has canceled its annual naval parade in St. Petersburg for “security reasons,” without providing specifics. President Vladimir Putin arrived in the city to oversee naval drills and receive admirals’ reports, state news agency TASS stated. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attributed the cancellation to “the overall situation,” emphasizing that “security reasons are of paramount importance.”
The parade, traditionally held on the last Sunday of July, was to feature warships and submarines as the centerpiece of Russia’s Navy Day celebrations. St. Petersburg authorities confirmed the cancellation on Friday without explanation. Putin observed the exercises remotely—marking the first time since the holiday’s revival in 2017—and praised Russian sailors’ “courage” and “heroism” in Ukraine via video message.
Putin later addressed forces participating in the “July Storm” naval drills spanning the Baltic, Caspian, Arctic, and Pacific Oceans, involving over 150 vessels and 15,000 troops. “We mark this holiday in a working environment,” he declared, adding that Russia’s primary task is “to ensure the country’s security and resolutely protect its sovereignty and national interests.”
The security alert coincided with Ukraine’s overnight drone attacks. Russian defenses downed 100 drones nationwide, with at least 10 intercepted near St. Petersburg, according to Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko. The assault temporarily halted operations at Pulkovo Airport, delaying dozens of flights.