Belarus has produced a trial batch of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine.

This was announced by the head of the Ministry of Health of the republic Dmitry Pinevich.

He clarified that a trial batch of the drug was produced on the basis of the local enterprise Belmedpreparaty, and called this step an important result of cooperation between Moscow and Minsk.

“We have fulfilled the agreements of our presidents on joint counteraction to the spread of infection.

Vaccination is now an integral factor in the fight against the epidemic process, "RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

The minister added that they intend to launch industrial production of the Russian vaccine in the republic at the end of March.

“We are now checking everything, we are doing all the research, we are giving it to the Russian side within a month, they are verifying everything and confirming the identity of the drug,” he said.

In turn, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev noted that Belarus is capable not only of producing the Russian vaccine, but also, after satisfying part of domestic demand, export it, which will help third countries in the fight against the pandemic.

“Of course, the priority is to vaccinate citizens of both Russia and Belarus,” he added.

On February 22, at a meeting with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced the transfer of technology to develop a vaccine against coronavirus to Minsk.

Let us remind you that Belarus became the first foreign state where Sputnik V was registered.

  • RIA News

  • © Alexey Druzhinin

Meanwhile, Moldova has also approved the use of the Sputnik V vaccine.

In the account of the drug on Twitter, they recalled that the republic became the 38th country in the world that allowed its use.

The Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of Moldova explained that Sputnik V, as well as the US-German Pfizer / BioNTech and the British-Swedish AstraZeneca, approved in the country, are included in the list for use in emergency situations by the World Health Organization (WHO), which allows start the process of vaccination of the population.

In addition, Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of delivering Sputnik V with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

During the telephone conversation, the parties discussed measures to combat COVID-19, as well as issues of establishing joint production of the drug.

Vietnam also intends to use the Russian drug for vaccination of the population.

On Friday, the country's Ministry of Health approved Sputnik V for emergency use.

Kirill Dmitriev, speaking about the attitude towards the Russian vaccine in the world, noted that the creation of the drug is a great feat of the country's scientists, who should be proud of. 

“I think that we can talk not only about the international recognition of the Sputnik V vaccine, but also about our leadership in the world.

Many enemies of Russia have tried to undermine confidence in the Russian Federation, but we understand that they are spending so much effort to undermine confidence in the Russian vaccine, because it is one of the best in the world, ”said the head of the RDIF.

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  • © Vitaly Belousov

Earlier, Vladimir Putin, during a meeting of the board of the Federal Security Service, said that provocations are planned against Russia, in particular those related to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. 

Putin specified that a "targeted information campaign with peremptory and unsubstantiated accusations on a number of issues is being waged against Russia."

“For example, recent attempts to question our achievements in the field of medicine, in the fight against coronavirus,” said the president.

The head of state recalled that the Russian partners are kind to Moscow's results in countering the spread of COVID-19 and are willing to cooperate.

In August 2020, Russia was the first in the world to register the Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19, which was developed by specialists from the Gamaleya Center.

Later, two more Russian drugs - "EpiVacCorona" of the State Scientific Center of Virology and Biotechnology "Vector" and "KoviVak" of the Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immunobiological Preparations named after M.P.

Chumakov RAS.

All three vaccines have shown safety and efficacy against coronavirus in the course of the studies.