Terrified Putin cancels major public event amid assassination fears | World | News
The Main Naval Parade at St Petersburg and military port Kronstadt was axed to be replaced with concerts, museum programmes and commemorative ceremonies. Parades usually taking place in other key naval ports in the Baltic, Black and Azov seas, as well as the Arctic and Pacific oceans, were also cancelled. The decision came after Ukrainian strikes in June on Kronstadt, a naval base that acts as headquarters of the Russian Baltic Fleet, and plays a key role in the parade.
This attack and others nearby disrupted Putin’s version of the World Economic Forum (WEF) – the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which brings together political leaders, CEOs, investors and state officials to sign major business deals, showcase national economic priorities and hold high-level panel discussions.
Putin lacks confidence in his air defences and he faces daily successes by Ukraine in targeting sites deep inside Russia. Instead, Putin addressed his naval sailors in a video recorded from the safety of his office.
“In Russia, washed by the waters of thirteen seas, the Navy plays a vital role in ensuring defence and security, and in protecting the country’s legitimate interests in the World Ocean,” he said.
“Our naval forces are capable of effectively accomplishing the full range of tasks assigned to them.”
In a threat to the West, he vowed that his naval forces were “constantly developing”, including their nuclear strike capability: “The maritime component of Russia’s nuclear triad is growing in strength.
“The serial construction of combat ships and special vessels continues,” he added. “The supply of advanced armaments and equipment to submarine, surface, coastal and aviation units is being improved.”
The main 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”.
In May, Putin went ahead with his other major annual Victory Day military parade on Red Square in Moscow, but only after Ukraine agreed not to attack it. But no such promise was likely on the naval parade after the dictator bluntly refused to engage in a full ceasefire and peace talks.
A naval source said: “As you can imagine, it’s not the right time.”
Putin created the huge modern St Petersburg Navy Day parade in 2017, drawing on tsarist traditions of Imperial Russia.
This month, Ukraine has destroyed or damaged almost 200 shadow fleet tankers and cargo vessels in the Black and Azov seas.
