The Concert For "Russia Day" On Red Square Has Been Canceled For The First Time In 20 Years
- 11.06.2026, 14:43
Because of the threat posed by drones.
For the first time in 23 years, a concert on Red Square to mark “Russia Day,” celebrated on June 12, has been canceled in Moscow, according to the publication Msk1. According to the publication, the event has been moved to a different location, and the list of announced artists has been significantly reduced. The concert, originally titled “In the Unity of Peoples Lies Russia’s Strength,” was announced by the team of singer Nadezhda Babkina. Among the announced artists were Shaman, Larisa Dolina, Tatyana Kurtukova, Alexander Buinov, and the band Ay Yola.
The TV channel “Russia 1” also planned to broadcast the “grand holiday concert” on Red Square. According to the program schedule, the broadcast is set to begin at 9:30 p.m. on Friday. However, as Msk1 reports, the event will now take place at the "Mosovet" cultural center on Preobrazhenskaya Square, located in eastern Moscow. At the same time, most of the previously announced stars "will not be coming to entertain the audience," the publication notes. Msk1 does not specify the reason for the cancellation and rescheduling of the concert. Prior to this, the authorities canceled the military equipment in the Victory Day parade on Red Square. The Russian Ministry of Defense attributed this decision to the “current operational situation,” while the Kremlin cited a “terrorist threat” from Ukraine. At the same time, attacks by Ukrainian drones on Moscow intensified ahead of the parade.
Festivities marking Russia Day began to be held on Red Square in Moscow in 2003. The first of these included a theatrical performance, a parade of representatives from Russia’s regions, a military parade, and the “Young Voices of Russia” concert. Since then, the events have been held every year. In 2025, the concert featured Shaman, the band “Lube,” Nikolai Baskov, Grigory Leps, Sergey Lazarev, and Dima Bilan.
Despite the threat of drones, large-scale events continue to be held on Red Square. For example, a book festival took place there from June 4 to 7. Meanwhile, on the night of June 11, air defense forces shot down 15 Ukrainian drones as they approached Moscow, according to the capital’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin. The day before, on June 10, the military intercepted 31 drones near Moscow.