It is usually a highlight of the year for Putin — but he evidently believes the assassination risk is too high. “As of 15 June, no presidential decree on holding the main naval parade has been published,” a source told news outlet Fontanka. “Naval deployments to St Petersburg have not been planned.” The move follows Ukrainian strikes twice this month on Kronstadt, a naval base that acts as headquarters of the Russian Baltic Fleet, and plays a key role in the parade.
The decision on the Naval Day parade shows Putin lacks confidence in his air defences, and comes amid daily successes by Ukraine in targeting sites deep inside Russia.
The parade was scaled back in 2024, yet still involved 200 ships and other vessels and 15,000 military personnel. Last year, it was also cancelled due to “security reasons.”
Last month, Putin went ahead with his other major annual Victory Day military parade on Red Square in Moscow when Ukraine agreed not to attack it. But no such promise was likely to be made at the naval parade after the dictator bluntly refused to engage in a full ceasefire and peace talks.
Fontanka reported today: “No orders have been received from above [to plan the event], though preparations should be in full swing by now.”
A naval source said: “As you can imagine, it’s not the right time.”
Putin created the huge, modern St Petersburg Naval Day parade, starting in 2017, modelled on tsarist traditions from Imperial Russia.
