Russia has canceled the MAKS-2026 Air and Space Show
Russia has officially canceled the "MAKS-2026" International Aviation and Space Salon, which was scheduled to take place at the airfield in Zhukovsky, near Moscow. The event has been removed from the list of international military exhibitions for 2026.
According to the document, MAKS has been rescheduled for 2027. Russian authorities have not disclosed the official reasons for this decision.
This is not the first time the event has been postponed: since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the airshow has changed its format or dates several times.
History of changes to the MAKS format
- the last in-person airshow took place in 2021;
- in 2024 and 2025, the event was held online;
- exhibits and demonstrations were presented in the form of video materials.
Traditionally, “MAKS” was organized by the Moscow government and the state corporation “Rostec.” The event was considered one of the largest aviation exhibitions in Eastern Europe.
Russian media link the cancellation of the airshow to the increase in attacks by Ukrainian drones on targets in the Moscow region, which likely complicates the organization of mass events in the region.
It was also reported the day before that air defense systems around Moscow were being reinforced, specifically with the construction of new towers to house “Pantsir” systems, which, according to sources, is part of efforts to strengthen the defense of the Russian capital.
This is evidenced by a corresponding order from the Russian government published on the official legal portal.
As a reminder, hundreds of Chinese car dealerships have closed in Russia. The market is undergoing a sharp correction following excessive expansion in previous years, according to media reports.
