Putin humiliated as Navy Day celebrations include just a banner of a submarine

What was supposed to be a grand celebration of military power ended in a humiliating scaled-back event when Russia canceled its massive Navy Day parade on July 26 for the second year in a row.

A Russian Navy spokesman told local outlet Fontanka that “it’s not the right time” for full celebrations, and the Kremlin offered no official reason.

Observers and analysts suspect that the reason behind the scaling back of the annual event is the Ukrainian long-range campaign, as the parade was planned to take place in St. Petersburg — the city of Russia’s naval headquarters as well as Putin’s birth city.

As late as July 24, Ukrainian drones struck a warehouse near St. Petersburg, proving that the Russian city is well within reach of the long-range campaign.

The internet is having a laugh

Instead of the grand naval parade, Putin delivered an address to sailors inside the Admiralty, but it was the Russian leader’s arrival at the event that has drawn the most attention.

Footage from Putin’s arrival shows him being greeted by a small group of marines, and in the background was a giant printed banner of a nuclear submarine rather than actual vessels.

Online observers noticed the missing fleet right away.

Ukrainian channel Military News UA noted on X that “a parade took place on Navy Day, but without the fleet itself.”

Another X user noted that Putin’s fear of assassinations and coup attempts was what prompted a very scaled-back event.

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Rising drone threats

Security concerns have mounted across the country as long-range Ukrainian drones strike deeper into major cities. Saint Petersburg sits roughly 600 miles from Ukraine. Still, explosive drones keep reaching targets nearby.

To shield critical locations, Russian defense officials concentrated heavy air defenses around Moscow, leaving other key cities far more exposed. The vulnerability has forced event organizers to stay cautious.

Pushing the narrative

Despite the muted setup, Putin repeated familiar Kremlin rhetoric. He declared that the Russian Navy remains vital to achieving war goals in Ukraine.

He also acknowledged the crushing economic weight of the fighting. According to Newsweek, Putin admitted that Moscow is forced to spend massive resources to fund its military operations.

Meanwhile, the Institute for the Study of War noted that Russia plans to build new drone regiments in its Northern Fleet. The goal is simple: protect remaining warships from relentless Ukrainian attacks.

This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation