The head of state, accompanied by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and Navy Commander-in-Chief Alexander Moiseyev, walked around the parade line of warships on the Neva River roadstead on the Raptor boat. Vladimir Putin greeted and congratulated their crews on the holiday.
The participants in the review included the battleship Poltava, the small missile ships Serpukhov and Odintsovo, the corvette Boykiy, the ice-class patrol ship Ivan Papanin, the submarine Mozhaisk, the destroyer Jiao Zuo of the Navy of the People's Republic of China, the training ship La Somma of the Navy of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, and the frigate Tabar of the Navy of the Republic of India.
The parade ended with a parade of ships in the waters of the Neva and a ceremonial march on Senate Square by the crews of military personnel, students of pre-university institutions of the Navy and young sailors of the Yunarmiya.
In total, 20 surface ships and boats, one submarine, four sailing vessels, and more than 2.5 thousand military personnel were involved in the parade in 2024.
Later that day, Vladimir Putin met with the heads of foreign delegations who took part in the parade.
Navy Day is celebrated in Russia on the last Sunday of July. The first Main Naval Parade in St. Petersburg was held in 1996 in honor of the 300th anniversary of the Russian fleet. The tradition of holding an annual parade in the Northern capital was restored by the Presidential Decree in 2017. * * *
Speech at the Navy Day Parade
Vladimir Putin: Comrades sailors and petty officers, warrant officers and officers!
Valiant participants of the special military operation!
Dear veterans!
Dear citizens of Russia!
I congratulate you on Navy Day. We always celebrate this holiday solemnly, with respect and love for the famous fleet, with pride for our country, a maritime power.
Russia has acquired this most important status thanks to its geopolitical position, great geographical discoveries and colossal contribution to the study of the World Ocean, but most importantly - the victories, labor, will, courage and talent of our naval commanders and military sailors.
Covered by the glorious St. Andrew's flag, they were and remain reliable guardians of the sea expanses of the Fatherland, serving it faithfully on ships and submarines, in the marines, coastal troops and air units, serving in the name of life, happiness, and well-being of the citizens of their country.
Naval sailors have been celebrating their holiday for more than three hundred years. It was established in honor of Russia's first major naval victory at Cape Gangut. It was won by a very young fleet founded by Peter the Great.
Gaining strength, it was the fleet that became an important support for the reformer tsar in creating the Russian Empire - strong, independent, sovereign - and for centuries retained its significance for the country's defense capability, in achieving its military, industrial, technological and scientific triumphs, in developing and strengthening good, partnership relations with other states.
We are sincerely glad to welcome the crews of warships from Algeria, India, China, representatives of dozens of foreign countries and delegations to the Main Naval Parade, who celebrate today's holiday with us, congratulate our sailors and commanders.
The high mission of the Navy has determined their truly sacred attitude to the Motherland, their dedication and unyielding character, loyalty to the oath, their word and the maritime brotherhood, their unwavering fortitude, discipline and training.
The development of these qualities is one of the most important tasks of the national naval education. Starting with Peter the Great's "School of Navigational and Mathematical Sciences", it is still among the best, fundamental and progressive, multiplying rich traditions, preparing first-class specialists with extensive advanced knowledge and, most importantly, capable of effectively applying it in difficult, responsible maritime service.
All this is essential for managing modern ships and weapons, which are constantly being replenished by our fleet. We will continue to increase the support of surface and submarine forces, naval aviation, equip ships with high-tech new-generation systems and hypersonic missile systems, improve and strengthen coastal infrastructure, develop reconnaissance, surveillance and air defense systems at near and far borders.
The statement by the American administration and the German government about plans to deploy American long-range high-precision missile systems on the territory of Germany from 2026 is noteworthy.
Important Russian facilities of state and military administration, our administrative and industrial centers and defense infrastructure will be within its reach. And the flight time to targets on our territory of such missiles, which in the future can also be equipped with nuclear warheads, will be about ten minutes.
At the same time, earlier, during the exercises, the United States had already practiced the transfer of Typhon missile systems from its territory to Denmark
and to the Philippines. This situation is reminiscent of the events of the Cold War era related to the deployment of American Pershing medium-range missiles in Europe.
If the United States of America implements such plans, we will consider ourselves free from the previously assumed unilateral moratorium on the deployment of medium- and shorter-range strike weapons, including increasing the capabilities of the coastal forces of our Navy.
Today, the development of a number of such systems is in the final stages. We will take reciprocal measures to deploy them, taking into account the actions of the United States, its satellites in Europe and other regions of the world.
What else I would like to note. Our attention today is drawn to the growing escalation of tension on the part of Washington in connection with the flights of Russian strategic aviation. Let me remind you in this regard that since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian strategic missile carriers have not conducted air patrols far from our borders. At that time, Russia believed that there was no need for this any more: the world had changed, the Cold War was a thing of the past. However, the United States did not respond to this unilateral gesture of goodwill and continued patrolling our borders.
That is why we resumed such flights in 2007. This was a response to the increased activity of US strategic and reconnaissance aircraft in regions of the world that are sensitive for Russia. This measure is aimed, among other things, at ensuring security in the Asia-Pacific region.
Today, I would especially like to note that many naval crews are bravely fighting in the hottest sections of the combat contact line in the special military operation zone. Just like their great ancestors, they are defending Sevastopol and other Black Sea and Azov ports, delivering devastating blows to the enemy, and destroying its military facilities.
More than 30 thousand sailors and officers have been awarded high state awards. The honorary title of "Guards" was awarded to the frigate "Admiral Makarov", one regiment and three brigades of marines. Three combat units of marines and the frigate "Admiral Essen" were awarded orders.
Behind each medal, order, title is a personal story of courage and devotion to the Fatherland, the fate of daring, steadfast sailors, their commanders - brilliant naval officers, for whom the main thing has always been and remains duty, honor, dignity, the ability to lead, responsibility for the entire unbroken, heroic path of our legendary Navy, which, of course, the people of Russia are proud of.
Dear comrades!
Today, parades of warships are hosted by Baltiysk and Vladivostok, Severomorsk and Kaspiysk, as well as Syrian Tartus. Our native fleet is honored throughout our large country. This is a convincing recognition of its greatest services to the Motherland, its reliability in protecting our national interests.
Once again, I congratulate the entire personnel of the Russian Navy on the holiday, everyone who is now in parade formation and on a combat mission. I congratulate your wives, children, parents, for whom this day is one of the most significant and dear.
Thank you for your valiant service. I wish you new victories in the fulfillment of truly historical, fateful tasks facing us.
Glory to the Navy!
For Russia! Hurray!
Kremlin
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