Putin humiliated as another major Moscow event cancelled

 A major event in Moscow has been cancelled just four days before it was due to start. Bosses of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival said the spectacle in the centre of the Russian capital had been postponed until 2027 "due to circumstances beyond the organisers' control".

The announcement comes amid a surge in Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow. Overnight Saturday, a huge barrage of drones was launched at Russia in what the Kremlin described as Ukraine's "largest-scale" attack of the year. Russia's defence ministry said 822 drones were shot down in the assault, while Moscow's mayor earlier claimed some 600 were detected flying towards the city.

The Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival is not the only event in the heart of Moscow to have been cancelled in recent months.

In June, a gala concert marking Russia Day was called off.

While Russia's Victory Day parade - marking the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany - on May 9 was scaled down over fears of Ukrainian attacks.

For the first time in almost 20 years, no military hardware was on display at the annual event in a clear sign of Kremlin concerns over the Ukrainian threat.

The Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival started in 2007 at Vladimir Putin's request.

Held on Moscow's famous Red Square, the festival was due to begin on Friday and run until August 30.

It has only ever been cancelled once before - in 2020 due to the pandemic.

It is among Russia's largest military-themed events and sees dozens of military bands perform to thousands of spectators.

Military musicians from EU countries, Australia and Canada previously took part in the festival during its early years, POLITICO reports.

The number of international participants had declined following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine has ramped up long-range attacks across Russia this year, with a campaign targeting oil and gas infrastructure putting a strain on the Kremlin economy.