The Ministry of Health of Ukraine received from the Kharkiv company Biolek an application for registration of the Russian vaccine against coronavirus infection Sputnik V.

This information was confirmed by the head of the department, Maxim Stepanov.

The minister specified that the company will then have to submit a number of other documents, including a registration form, and a dossier in which “the safety of the vaccine should be displayed,” as well as the results of all three phases of clinical trials.

“Finally, we will see not some political slogans, but what the Russian vaccine is.

Further, based on the results of these submitted documents, it will be possible to speak about the quality of these documents and speak more frankly about this vaccine, "Stepanov said.

The minister said that there is a lot of "big politics" around Sputnik V, and said that "the health of Ukrainians cannot be a reason for information wars" that spread around the drug.

At the same time, he expressed confidence that the Ministry of Health will be able to provide Ukrainians with vaccines from "the world's leading manufacturers".

As the head of the political council of the Ukrainian party "Opposition Platform - For Life" Viktor Medvedchuk said on January 1, "Biolek" submitted an application on December 30, 2020.

The company itself confirmed this information on January 5.

They noted that the application for registration of the drug was sent "in connection with numerous requests."

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier expressed his readiness to ensure the supply of Sputnik V to Ukraine, recalling that Moscow is conducting similar work with Belarus.

At the same time, the head of state stressed that this requires the participation of the official authorities of Ukraine, which would formulate the country's requests.

However, the Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly stated that they do not intend to buy a Russian vaccine for coronavirus.

In October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged not to believe the politicians who vaccinated Sputnik V and announced his intention to receive a European vaccine. 

“The European Union has confirmed that it will help Ukraine get a real vaccine when it appears and will not cause doubts among scientists.

Therefore, I do not advise very much to believe in the election initiatives of individual cynics who have already been vaccinated with unverified means, ”he wrote in his Telegram channel.

Thus, Zelensky reacted to the words of Medvedchuk, who earlier, at a meeting with Vladimir Putin, spoke about the vaccination he had received, adding that he did not show any side effects. 

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In turn, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov stated that there is allegedly no safe vaccine against coronavirus in the Russian Federation.

And Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba at the end of December called "Sputnik V" "a hybrid weapon of Russia against Ukraine."

In the Russian State Duma, such a statement by the minister was considered "inadequate."

At the same time, earlier that Kiev would not buy "Sputnik V" was announced by the American Embassy.

“US Charge d'Affaires Christina Queen invited Minister Stepanov to a constructive collegiate dinner to discuss the fight against COVID-19 and health sector reform.

Ukraine will not buy the Russian vaccine against COVID, which has not passed clinical trials for safety, ”the US diplomatic mission said in a statement.

In turn, Viktor Medvedchuk called the refusal of the authorities from the Russian vaccine a crime against the life and health of Ukrainians, noting that vaccination of citizens of the country could begin in May-June, which would allow people to get out of quarantine.

The politician called the actions of Volodymyr Zelensky "insanity."

“Why should our people participate in the experiments of some foreign uncles, if there are those who have already conducted two phases of testing, confirmed the possibility of using the vaccine and are ready to provide it?

And we are reinventing the wheel, ”he wrote on his Facebook in October.

Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada Ilya Kiva also expressed concern that the rejection of the Russian vaccine could lead to an increase in deaths from COVID-19 in Ukraine. 

At the same time, on December 20, in an interview with The New York Times, Zelensky admitted that Ukraine had lost its position in the world and in Europe as a candidate for the COVID-19 vaccine. 

"We are not included in the list of countries that are the first to receive the vaccine ... Therefore, here we must be, let's say, acrobats in politics in order to somehow manage to get into the number of priority countries," the Ukrainian leader said. 

He also expressed disappointment with the decree of US President Donald Trump, according to which the United States will begin to supply the vaccine to other countries only after American citizens receive it.

“Of course, it is impossible to explain to the Ukrainian society why vaccines should not be taken from Russia when America and Europe do not give them,” the president said.

Zelensky added that he is preparing for an "information war" on this issue.

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On January 8, it became known that Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal appealed to the European Commission with a request to help Kiev obtain a vaccine. 

“Indeed, the Prime Minister addressed the President (Chairman.

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) of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, with an official letter regarding the promotion of early access for Ukrainians to vaccination.

We are talking about the receipt of the vaccine by Ukraine earlier than March, when the first batches of vaccines are expected under the COVAX program, ”said his press secretary Olga Kurishko. 

The possible date for the start of vaccination against coronavirus of Ukrainian citizens is still unknown.

According to the head of the country's Ministry of Health, Kiev signed technical documents with the global COVAX initiative to supply several million doses of vaccine, and also signed a contract for the supply of approximately 1.9 million doses of vaccine to the Chinese company Sinovac Biotech.

It is worth noting that in Ukraine on January 8, additional strengthened restrictions introduced by the government due to the situation with the spread of COVID-19 came into force, they will be valid until January 24.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmyhal previously described them as "winter holidays for the sake of safety."

In addition to new quarantine measures, the emergency regime has been extended until February 28.

The country banned the work of catering establishments (except for take-away orders), shopping centers, cultural and sports establishments, as well as visiting educational institutions.

The holding of mass events and the work of non-food markets have been suspended.