Russia again decides not to hold its "main naval parade"

Oleksandr Shumilin - 15 June, 13:18

The burning corvette Boikiy at the Kronstadt naval base. Photo: Vantor

Russia's Ministry of Defence also does not plan to hold the so-called main naval parade in 2026, which has been held in Saint Petersburg in the summer since 2017.

Source: Russian news outlet Fontanka

Details: The outlet notes that it is not entirely accurate to speak of a cancellation, "since preparations had not even begun".

Quote: "As of 15 June, no presidential decree on holding the main naval parade has been issued, and the fleets are not planning trips to Saint Petersburg. Fontanka's sources in the Ministry of Defence and the Navy's Main Command say no orders have come from above, although preparations should already be in full swing by this point. 'You understand yourselves, this isn't the priority right now,' a source in the navy told Fontanka."

Background:

This parade has been held in Saint Petersburg since 2017. In 2025, Russia fully cancelled the parade marking Navy Day for the first time.
Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said at the time that the main naval parade in Saint Petersburg had been cancelled for security reasons. In 2024, the main naval parade was reduced in scale.
On the night of 2-3 June 2026, Ukraine's defence forces struck the Kronstadt naval base, the main stronghold of the Russian Navy's Baltic Fleet.
At the time, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces and Security Service reported that the Russian corvette Boikiy, which carries missile weapons, had been hit at the Kronstadt naval base.

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