Putin’s Military Festival Axed as Humiliating Cancellations Spiral

Alexander Kazakov / via REUTERS Vladimir Putin’s annual military band festival has been canceled for only the second time ever, as the Russian president’s public humiliation spirals.

Organizers of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival, which was due to start on Aug.

21 and run for nine days, released a mysterious statement on Monday, citing “reasons beyond the organizers’ control.” The festival, which features performances on Red Square by military bands from across the world, has been held since 2007 with official backing from the Russian government.

It has only been canceled once before, during the COVID pandemic.

And while the short statement from the organizers doesn’t say why it has been “postponed,” Russians can probably guess by looking to the sky.

Ukraine has intensified strikes inside Russia lately, with over 600 drones launched at Moscow on Sunday.

Moscow regional governor Andrey Vorobyov described the assault as ‘one of the most massive drone attacks in recent memory.” In total, 822 drones were sent.

At least seven people were killed, five in Russia’s south-western region of Rostov, one in Belgorod, along the southern border with Ukraine, and one elderly man in Moscow.

The attacks come amid a humiliating spate of cancellations that has eroded Putin’s projection of calm.

In June, the annual Russia Day concert on Moscow’s Red Square was canceled for the first time since the celebrations began in 2003.

The concert, titled “The Strength of Russia Lies in the Unity of Its People,” was significantly pared back with no explanation.

In May, Victory Day celebrations were shelved, with a “terrorist threat” blamed.

In July, Russia’s typically grand Navy Day parade was replaced with another pared-back event.

After canceling the parade—which was set to feature around 200 warships sailing along the Neva River in St.