Putin’s main naval parade has been cancelled: ships will not be risking journey to St Petersburg, - Russian media
For the second year running, Russia has been forced to cancel its main naval parade in St Petersburg – one of the Kremlin’s most high-profile propaganda events. This year, preparations for the Navy Day celebrations have not even begun.
According to Censor.NET, this is reported by Russian media outlets, notably "Fontanka". As of mid-June, Vladimir Putin had not signed a decree authorising the parade, and the fleets had not received any orders to send ships to St Petersburg.
The ships aren’t being prepared; there are no orders
According to Russian journalists, the military received no instructions regarding the preparation of the event.
Navy officials explain the situation simply, off the record: it’s "not the right time" right now. Although preparations for the parade are usually in full swing at this time of year.
The main naval parade in St Petersburg has been held annually since 2017. It has become one of the main displays of Russia’s military might.
After the attacks on the bases, it has become more difficult to put on a show
In 2025, the parade was cancelled entirely for the first time. At the time, the Kremlin cited security concerns. The year before that, the event had been held on a significantly reduced scale.
In early June 2026, the Ukrainian Defence Forces launched strikes against the Kronstadt naval base – one of the key facilities of the Russian Federation’s Baltic Fleet.
At that time, the Unmanned Systems Forces and the SSU reported that the Russian corvette "Boykiy", which carries missile armaments, had been hit.
Against the backdrop of attacks on military installations in Russia’s rear regions, organising large-scale military parades is becoming an increasingly difficult task for the Kremlin.
