A Russian military celebration, intended as a show of strength to the world, went laughably wrong when a missile completely failed to launch.

Celebrations were held across the country for yesterday’s Navy Day, an annual commemoration of the victories of Russian sailors.

But at the Crimea’s Sevastopol port a botched missile launch stole the show.

The misguided missile was launched by the Russian frigate Ladny, which attempted to fire at a simulated target during a demonstration.

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Laughable launch: A missile launch at Russia's Navy Day celebrations in the Crimea's Sevastopol port stole the show, after performing a series of loop-the-loops before nosediving into the sea

Presidential address: Russian president Vladimir Putin addresses the crowd during Sunday's Navy Day celebrations, in the western city of Baltiysk

Spectator: President Vladimir Putin, watching the Navy Day celebrations in Baltiysk, during celebrations to honour the victories of the nation's soldiers

But a video shot by the member of the crowd shows the missile instead performing an impressive series of loop-the-loops before plunging into the sea, narrowly missing the frigate itself.

Navy Day – supposed to be a show of strength, skills, and capabilities – is held every year on the last Sunday of July.

Russia’s Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu said: ‘We traditionally honour Navy servicemen and veterans, we congratulate workers of shipbuilding and repairing wharfs and research organisations of the military-industrial complex, all those who are inseparably connected with service at sea.’

Parades were held across Russian ports, with the Pacific, Northern, Baltic and Black Sea fleets and the Caspian Flotilla all joining in the celebrations.

Firepower: The Russian antisubmarine warfare ship Kalmikiya attended the Navy Day celebrations, which are held on the last Sunday of July every year, as a demonstrations of military capabilities and skills

Impressive show: The Russian Baltic Fleet Ensemble perform at the Navy Day celebrations, an annual celebration of Russian sailors' victories

Military celebration: Parades and demonstrations are held across the country, and involve the Pacific, Northern, Baltic and Black Sea fleets and the Caspian Flotilla and Russian Special Forces Units (pictured)

In the air: Russian Special Forces Units in a KAMOV KA-27 military helicopter, joining in the military celebrations in the city of Baltiysk, where President Putin watched the demonstrations

The Sevastopol port wowed the crowd with 20 ships, 35 aircraft, 10 auxiliary vessels and 21 units of coastal military equipment.

Luckily, President Vladimir Putin wasn’t at the port to witness the botched missile launch.

He was instead participating in the celebrations in the city of Baltiysk, in the western Kaliningrad region, Russia’s exclave on the Baltic Sea.

As is traditional, celebrations kicked off with a parade of the Pacific Fleet in Amur Bay, where 20 warships and submarines were led by the missile cruiser Varyag.

Anti-submarine ships Admiral Vinogradov and Marshal Shaposhnikov, the destroyer Bistry and landing ship Nikolay Vilkov also took part in the show.

In St Petersburg, the country’s northern capital city, 10 ships and vessels, including landing ship Minsk, anti-submarine vessel Urengoy and submarine Vyborg joined in the show.

Aerial act: Russian special forces units take part in the celebrations, which are held across the country as a display of strength and in honour of former victories

The Kremlin also issued a new edition of Russia’s Naval Doctrine on the president’s official website yesterday.

Putin announced that the central aim of the doctrine is to maintain comprehensive and efficient naval policy in order to protect Russia.

The Russian Navy will receive 10 new warships and more than 40 support vessels by the end of the year, according to Chief Commander Viktor Chirkov.