(ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA) – Russia has cancelled its annual Navy Day parade in St Petersburg for the second consecutive year, with the Kremlin forced to replace the showcase of naval might with a walk past a canvas painting of ships as Ukraine’s deep strike capabilities render even heavily defended major cities unsafe.
The cancellation comes as a growing chorus of influential Russian figures, from the head of state banking giant Sberbank to regional governors and popular singers, have begun publicly calling for an end to the war against Ukraine. In a particularly stinging moment for the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Kazakh President Kassym Jomart Tokayev, a long time ally, openly stated during a meeting in Omsk that he does not understand the reasons for the conflict and suggested it may be time to end it.
The dictator, whose reliance on cosmetic procedures is widely noted, visibly raised his eyebrows in surprise at Tokayev’s remarks. The Kazakh leader’s intervention carries additional weight given his country’s dependence on Russia and his years of close cooperation with the Kremlin. Some analysts suggest the message may have originated from Beijing, which would represent an even more significant shift in the diplomatic landscape.
The St Petersburg parade has traditionally been Russia’s largest naval display and held particular symbolic value for the dictator, who launched his political career in the city. The event was scrapped after authorities concluded they could not guarantee the safety of vessels or attendees. The alternative ceremony saw the veteran KGB operative walking in front of a large canvas onto which the sea and warships had been painted, with no real vessels present behind him.
The spectacle marked a sharp decline from the parades of previous years and followed a similarly diminished Victory Day parade in Moscow, which lasted under 45 minutes and required permission from the Houthi movement to avoid targeting. Both St Petersburg and Moscow are now considered active war zones, with drone strikes becoming a regular occurrence.
The absence of physical warships reflects Ukraine’s systematic destruction of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, a campaign that has now extended to the Baltic Fleet. Approximately one month ago, Ukrainian forces neutralised a large warship in Kronstadt, very close to St Petersburg, prompting Russian military bloggers to acknowledge that the Baltic fleet had become a target.
The head of Sberbank has repeatedly stated that every Russian bank chief dreams of an end to the special military operation, warning that otherwise the banking system and wider economy will be destroyed rapidly. Inflation continues to climb and the federal budget deficit is widening, with central bank governor Elvira Nabiullina reportedly fearful she will be held personally accountable for the economic disaster.
Governors of Russian regions that have become active war zones, including Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk, have also spoken out against the continuation of the conflict. The governor of the Belgorod region, before being replaced by a more loyal figure, publicly raised the need to end the war because people were suffering and the Kremlin had no solution.
Popular Russian singers who previously backed the war have changed their stance after hearing explosions near Moscow. Millions of ordinary Russians, now directly affected by the conflict, fear general conscription or that their bank deposits will be seized to fund the war effort.
The dictator is reported to be preparing a new wave of general conscription for autumn, a move likely to cause panic among millions of Russians who have witnessed the special military operation fail to deliver on its original promise of a three day campaign. The growing unrest among elites and the public coincides with an acceleration of Ukrainian drone strikes deep inside Russian territory, a factor expected to shift public opinion further.
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