On Thursday, August 21, the State Historical Museum opened its door to media representatives taking part in the Seventeenth Spasskaya Tower International Military Tattoo.
The event included participation of both the Festival’s organizers and its foreign participants.
Mr Sergey Khlebnikov, Artistic Director of the Spasskaya Tower Military Tattoo, underscored that the seventeenth edition of the Festival was dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War and to all those who fought valiantly to secure the Victory. As Mr Khlebnikov put it “The 2025 Festival’s maxim is highlighted both in the evening show prologue and its grand finale”. He emphasized that, in his opinion, every participant did their best to incorporate the theme.
Mr Khlebnikov added that he was thrilled to see both his old friends and newcomers. He said that up to 59 nations have displayed their artistic abilities on Moscow’s Red Square throughout the Festival’s existence. “A lot of people ask me if we stay in touch, and I always say “Yes, we do”, because we’re both doing the same thing, and doing it with sincerity and kindness. Nothing can impede our partnership and friendship”, highlighted the Artistic Director of the Festival.
Furthermore, he appreciated the support extended for the Festival by all the friends and partners, with a particular emphasis on the Government of Moscow and the city Mayor, Sergey Sobyanin. “It’s thanks to Mr Sobyanin that the Festival saw light for the seventeenth time”, noted Mr Khlebnikov.
The floor then turned over to Major General Timofey Mayakin, Music Director of the Festival and Head of the Band Military Service of the Russian Armed Forces, who spoke about the events leading up to the Festival. “This year, we are happy to have a lot of new participants. Nevertheless, we had already had a chance to collectively rehearse and review each individual music sketch. And I can guarantee that the Seventeenth Spasskaya Tower Festival will be a genuine celebration of music and art, brimming with vibrant energies and colors”, emphasized Major General Timofey Mayakin. “As for Russia, it will be represented by some of the best artistic ensembles of the Russian Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies. This is a tradition that remains unchanged”, he added.
Following in the footsteps of his colleagues, Mr Sergey Smirnov, Head of the Spasskaya Tower Festival Directorate, expressed gratitude to all the participants, organizers and guests of the 2025 tattoo run, particularly to the sponsors with whom lasting friendships had already been established, including the Rostec State Corporation, Transneft Company, and Rosoboronexport JSC.
“Today is the day we finally get to show you the fruits of our labor. I hope you enjoy and value the amazing show we have put together for you. I can say for sure that we have done our best. That’s why we’re pretty sure and relatively calm. The only thing that bothers us is this year’s weather. But we hope for the best, and of course we are ready for anything”, said Mr Smirnov.
In 2025, the Festival global cast comprises participants from Belarus, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), UAE and Zimbabwe. The lead services representing Russia this year are some of the best military artistic ensembles of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Federal Guard Service, National Guard Forces, Federal Security Service, and Russia’s Emergencies Ministry.
The Spasskaya Tower Festival is a collection of awe-inspiring evening performances staged in the very heart of the Russian capital, with each show being a genuine theatrical masterpiece composed of a prologue, participants' individual sketches, an epilogue and an impressive massed band finale, annually bringing together over 1500 musicians from all over the globe.
Since 2007, the Spasskaya Tower Festival has been carried out following the order of President of Russia Vladimir Putin and under the aegis of the Public Council headed by Mr. Alexander Zhukov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The tattoo also enjoys the unwavering organisational and/or financial support of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, and Moscow Government Department of Culture.
