Vladimir Putin visited his home city of St Petersburg on July 30, 2023, to commemorate Navy Day, despite significant security concerns that led to the cancellation of the traditional naval parade. The city experienced a series of Ukrainian drone attacks that prompted the closure of Pulkovo airport, affecting numerous flights.
Typically, St Petersburg hosts a grand parade featuring a flotilla of warships and military vessels navigating the Neva River. This year, however, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the event was cancelled due to security issues surrounding the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Instead, Putin arrived at the historic naval headquarters via a patrol speedboat, where he monitored drills involving over 150 vessels and 15,000 military personnel across various seas, including the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, as well as the Baltic and Caspian Seas.
In a video address, Putin stated, “Today we are marking this holiday in a working setting; we are inspecting the combat readiness of the fleet.” This emphasis on military preparedness reflects Russia’s ongoing focus on strengthening its naval capabilities amid the current geopolitical tensions.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported that air defense units successfully intercepted a total of 291 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones on the same day. This figure is notably lower than the record 524 drones downed during similar attacks on May 7, 2023, which occurred just before Russia’s Victory Day parade.
In the Leningrad region surrounding St Petersburg, Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that more than ten drones were intercepted, with falling debris injuring one woman. The situation at Pulkovo airport was disrupted, resulting in 57 flights being delayed and 22 diverted to other airports. Operations resumed later that day as security measures were assessed.
A Russian blogger, Alexander Yunashev, who was part of an official media group travelling with Peskov, noted that their flight from Moscow to St Petersburg was delayed by two hours due to the drone attacks.
As Russia continued its aerial assaults on Ukraine, reports emerged of damage to civil infrastructure in Sumy, a city in northeastern Ukraine. An administrative building and other properties were damaged, leaving three individuals injured. Additionally, two men lost their lives after stepping on a landmine, while another woman sustained injuries from a drone attack in a nearby community, according to local military authorities.
In a related development, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen used social media to encourage Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to maintain strong anti-corruption measures. Following a phone call with Zelenskiy, Von der Leyen reiterated the European Union’s commitment to supporting Ukraine on its path to EU membership.
The events of Navy Day in St Petersburg reflect the ongoing volatility in the region and the complexities of military operations amid security threats. The cancellation of the parade illustrates the precarious nature of public displays of military strength in light of current hostilities.
