Russia Cancels Navy Day Parades After Ukrainian Drone Attacks

Russia significantly scaled down its Navy Day celebrations in multiple regions, including St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, and Vladivostok, due to heightened security concerns from ongoing Ukrainian drone attacks. For the first time since 2017, the large-scale naval parade in St. Petersburg was canceled, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov citing 'security reasons' linked to the general situation and the need to prioritize safety. Ukrainian drones continued to target Russian territory, leading to the downing of hundreds of drones by Russian air defense systems, disruptions at Pulkovo Airport, and casualties from drone fragments near St. Petersburg. Despite the cancellation of parades, President Vladimir Putin visited the navy headquarters in St. Petersburg, overseeing naval drills and emphasizing inspection of the fleet's combat readiness. The UK Ministry of Defense and Russian sources agree the cancellations were driven by force protection concerns amid ongoing drone threats. Russia also claimed to have struck back at Ukrainian drone production and control facilities in retaliation.