Natalya Kotova, the mayor of Chelyabinsk, canceled the 700-drone show in response to a residents’ petition, as reported by the media outlet "Chelyabinsk Today" on August 26.
The head of Chelyabinsk has canceled the 700-drone show. Mayor Natalya Kotova explained that the city had not planned to use its own funds for the event, describing it as "a gift to Chelyabinsk and its residents from a local enterprise." However, she announced the decision to cancel the show on August 26.
This step was driven by widespread public dissatisfaction. The petition opposing the spending on the drone show gathered nearly 40,000 signatures. Its author, a widow of a military serviceman, suggested sending the drones to Ukraine instead.
Russian citizens are increasingly calling for the cancellation of public celebrations, advocating for reallocating funds to support residents affected by the war in border regions or to the front lines. For instance, the administration of Kurgan canceled fireworks for City Day "at the request of the families of SMO participants" following an attack by the Ukrainian army on Kursk Oblast. Dmitry Artyukhov, the head of Yamal, also spoke out against holding concerts but ultimately decided to proceed, as it was "impossible to refund" payments for the artists’ performances.