THAT’S EMBARRASSING: Moscow cancels Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg as nearly 100 drones reportedly downed across western Russia.

Russia canceled its annual Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg for the first time, citing security concerns amid a wave of drone attacks that disrupted airports and railways across western Russia overnight on July 27, local officials and Russian media reported.

The decision to cancel the Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg, an event traditionally held on the last Sunday of July, was announced by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on July 27, who said it was made “for security reasons.”

Despite the cancellation, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly traveled to the city to mark the occasion.

The United Kingdom’s Defense Ministry said it is “almost certain” that Navy Day parades originally planned for July 27 were canceled across Russia due to force protection concerns. While the main naval parade in St. Petersburg was reduced in scale in 2024, this marks the first full cancellation since its inception in 2017.

The Russian Navy hasn’t fared well in the war against Ukraine, a nation without any major surface combatants or subs.