St. Petersburg’s city administration plans to sharply cut the number of spectators at the May 9 military parade at Palace Square, the St. Petersburg-based news outlet Fontanka reported, without citing a source.

Authorities had initially planned for roughly 5,600 people to attend the parade in person — 10 on the podium, 250 in the central grandstand, 700 in each of the side grandstands, and 4,000 in an open viewing area along Millionnaya Street beside the grandstands.

That plan changed after a law enforcement coordination meeting attended by Governor Alexander Beglov. St. Petersburg’s authorities now intend to issue only 310 invitations to Palace Square — covering the podium and a single grandstand. The viewing area beside the grandstands has been dropped entirely.

According to the Telegram channel Rotonda, citing the city’s committee on law and order, officials at Smolny have not yet decided whether the Immortal Regiment march will be held in St. Petersburg in person. In previous years the event was held online due to what officials described as “the situation in the country.”

The format of military parades and processions on May 9 in 2026 is being discussed and revised across various cities. The Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow this year will take place without military hardware — the first time since 2007. Russia’s Defense Ministry attributed the decision to the “current operational situation.”

In recent weeks, Ukrainian drones have been actively striking industrial infrastructure across Russia, including ports and oil refineries.

Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, said in a recent interview with BBC Russia that the territory extending 1,500 to 2,000 kilometers (930 to 1,240 miles) into Russia is no longer a peaceful rear.