The Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival in Moscow has been postponed until 2027, just four days before it was due to start. Organisers cited “circumstances beyond the organisers’ control” for the cancellation.
Cancellation amid drone surge
The announcement comes after a weekend of intense Ukrainian drone activity. Overnight Saturday, Russia’s defence ministry reported shooting down 822 drones in what the Kremlin described as Ukraine’s “largest-scale” attack of the year. Moscow’s mayor earlier claimed some 600 drones were detected flying towards the city.
Other Moscow events affected
The festival is not the only major event in the Russian capital to be cancelled recently. In June, a gala concert marking Russia Day was called off. The Victory Day parade on May 9, which marks the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany, was scaled down over fears of Ukrainian attacks. For the first time in almost 20 years, no military hardware was displayed at the annual event.
Festival history and significance
The Spasskaya Tower festival began in 2007 at the request of Vladimir Putin. Held on Red Square, it was due to run from Friday until August 30. It has only been cancelled once before, in 2020 due to the pandemic. The event is among Russia’s largest military-themed events, featuring dozens of military bands performing to thousands of spectators. In its early years, military musicians from EU countries, Australia and Canada took part, though international participation has declined since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Ukraine has intensified long-range attacks across Russia this year, with a campaign targeting oil and gas infrastructure putting strain on the Kremlin’s economy.
