Russia Delays Flagship Aerospace Exhibition to 2027

June 12, 2026 International Aviation and Space Salon / VKontakte Russia has postponed its flagship International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS) air show until 2027, removing the event from the government's list of exhibitions scheduled for next year, according to an official decree published Thursday. The decree said MAKS, traditionally held at the Gromov Flight Research Institute airfield in the town of Zhukovsky near Moscow, would be rescheduled for 2027. The Hydroaviashow seaplane exhibition was also postponed until that year. No reason for the decision was given. The move comes as Russia scales back or relocates some large public events amid heightened security concerns and a rise in Ukrainian drone attacks, including on the Moscow region. Held every two years since 1993, MAKS has long served as Russia's premier aerospace exhibition, showcasing military and civilian aircraft and providing a venue for major industry contracts and international delegations. The last in-person edition of MAKS took place in 2021. The event was canceled in 2023 and moved online in 2024 and 2025, with exhibitions and flight demonstrations presented through video content on its official website. The postponement comes despite Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signing an order in July 2025 authorizing MAKS to be held in both 2026 and 2027. The cancellation follows similar changes to other public events in Russia. Authorities in Moscow earlier canceled the traditional concert held on Red Square to mark the Russia Day holiday on Friday, relocating the event to another part of the capital and significantly reducing the number of performers. Russia's Defense Ministry cited the "current operational situation" for the decision, while the Kremlin pointed to a what it called a terrorist threat from Ukraine. Ukrainian drone attacks on the Moscow region have intensified in recent weeks, prompting temporary airport closures and disruptions to air traffic. Read this article in Russian at The Moscow Times' Russian service. Read more about: Defense , Ukraine war Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia Bans Extradition of Foreign Nationals Who Fought in Its Army Participating in the armed forces of a foreign state is a criminal offense in many jurisdictions — including some considered friendly to Moscow. 2 Min read Russia Claims 'Successful’ Advances Near Ukraine's Bakhmut The Russian army is “successfully” advancing near the eastern Ukrainian towns of Bakhmut and Vuhledar, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu... Russian Military Reforms Target NATO Expansion, ‘Collective West’ – Gerasimov Russia’s recently announced military reforms are a response to NATO’s likely expansion and the “collective West” using Ukraine... Kremlin Declines to Say if Moscow is Preparing for Air Strikes Updates with Peskov and Horowitz comments. The Kremlin refused to say whether Russia was preparing for strikes on the capital on Friday after images of...