Putin cancels Russian NYE fireworks AGAIN ‘for fear of upsetting shell-shocked troops who’ve returned from Ukraine war’

VLADIMIR Putin has been forced to cancel midnight firework displays across Russia as a joyless consequence of his war against Ukraine.

A major pyrotechnics show over the Kremlin and onion-domed St Basil’s Cathedral was once one of the iconic moments as new year rolls around the world. 

But Red Square will be closed to revellers for hours either side of midnight.

Displays in dozens of major cities across Russia’s 11 time zones were cancelled - including in second city St Petersburg and the Pacific capital Vladivostok.

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a close Putin ally, said a poll showed people were against celebrating the New Year with fireworks due to the ongoing war.

There have been claims that the war-wounded could be scared of the noise from fireworks. 

There were also fears that Ukraine could sabotage the traditional fireworks displays. 

Fireworks at New Year were introduced in Russia by Peter the Great. 

Displays in Moscow marking New Year were cancelled since the start of the war.

It comes as the war in Ukraine reignited on the final day of 2024 with massive attacks by both sides. 

Russia struck capital city Kyiv and the Sumy region deploying its Tu-22M3 strategic bombers with Kh-22 missiles. 

There were reports of the launch of Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles unleashed from Russian  MiG-31 aircraft.

In Shostka, Sumy region, a dozen multi-storey residential buildings were hit, according to reports. 

Two educational buildings are also struck, and social facilities damaged. 

Ukraine exploded a Rosneft oil depot in Yartsevo, in Smolensk region.

Local residents woke to huge explosions at 3:40am.

A large inferno was seen at the facility, which supplies the Russian military machine. 

Regional governor Vasily Anokhin said: “Debris of one of the drones fell on the territory of an oil depot. 

“As a result, there was a fuel spillage, and some petroleum, oil and lubricants burst into flames.”

US-made HIMARS missiles deployed by Ukraine were reported to have hit Lgov in Russia’s Kursk region, triggering a major fire. 

Explosions were also heard in the city of Oryol, in western Russia, according to several Telegram monitoring channels.

The attacks by both sides followed a lull in recent days. 

It comes as today marks 25 years to the day that Putin, 72, took power in Moscow.

Vlad was appointed president on New Year's Eve as he was handed power by Boris Yeltsin.

He vowed: "Freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, freedom of the media, property rights - these fundamental elements of a civilised society will be reliably protected by the state."

But after initially appearing to be a moderniser who would continue to open up Russia - the KGB thug plunged the world back into a new Cold War.