Putin cancels Russian naval parade for ‘security reasons'

Times

6 days ago

Russia cancelled its main Navy Day parade in St Petersburg on Sunday, citing security fears as Ukrainian drone strikes continued to target strategic sites across the country.
The cancellation — the first since the celebration was introduced in 2017 — was announced by local authorities last week before quietly disappearing from official websites.
But Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, confirmed the decision on Sunday, saying it was linked to 'the overall situation, security reasons, which are above all else'.
His confirmation came hours after Russian air defences reported intercepting 99 drones overnight across the regions of St Petersburg, Leningrad, Volgograd, Kursk, Voronezh and Belgorod.
Among the targets were two Signal electronic warfare plants in Stavropol that supply Russia's military communications systems.
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In Volgograd, falling debris disrupted the railway power supply, delaying trains. Flights at St Petersburg's Pulkovo airport were suspended and a woman in the Leningrad region was injured.
Two civilians were reportedly killed when a drone struck their car in Rostov.
Despite the cancellation, President Putin travelled to St Petersburg and boarded the frigate Admiral Grigorovich, which the Kremlin claimed helped repel a previous drone attack near Sevastopol. He also visited the Naval Cathedral in Kronstadt.
In a video address to members of the navy, Putin praised their role in the war and vowed to expand Russia's naval power. He said the ongoing July Storm drills, involving 150 warships and 15,000 personnel across four seas, showed Russia's reach.
The Russian leader made no mention of the setbacks faced by Russia's Black Sea fleet, which has been forced to withdraw from several key Crimean ports under sustained Ukrainian attack. Smaller Navy Day ceremonies went ahead in cities including Kaliningrad and Vladivostok.
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The annual holiday, first introduced in the Soviet era, was revived by Putin as part of efforts to glorify the military and stir patriotism. Last year's parade was scaled back because of security fears but went ahead.
Russian forces struck targets across Ukraine overnight. Explosions were reported in the Kharkiv, Dnipro and Donetsk regions, drones and missiles hitting infrastructure and residential areas.
On Sunday, President Zelensky announced new sanctions targeting almost 100 individuals and companies involved in supporting Russia's war effort, incorporating the latest European Union sanctions packages into Ukrainian law. They include 45 Russian nationals and 50 firms connected to the military-industrial complex, such as those producing drones and missiles.
The EU's 18th package, adopted earlier this month, targets key sectors including energy, banking and the military industries, adding stricter controls on Russian oil exports and sanction evasion tactics.