Russia holds annual naval parade

Russia celebrated Navy Day with a grand maritime parade in St. Petersburg, involving over 200 warships, including those from China, India, and Algeria.

Held annually on the last Sunday of July, the parade was attended by President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, and Navy Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Moiseyev.

The event featured 15,000 service members, over 200 ships, and more than 100 pieces of military equipment.

Sailors from Russia's Northern, Pacific, and Baltic fleets, as well as the Caspian flotilla and forces in Syria, participated.

The parade was led by the Poltava, a replica of an 18th-century ship commemorating Russia's victory at the Battle of Poltava in 1709.

The parade included modern missile ships and corvettes armed with Kalibr cruise missiles, capable of hitting targets over 1,000 km away.

The 'Ivan Papanin,' a patrol icebreaker designed for Arctic conditions, was part of the display, highlighting Russia's extensive icebreaker fleet.

 Putin emphasized the ongoing modernization of Russia's naval forces, including the addition of hypersonic missiles.