Russia officials on vaccine, global cooperation

Russia's Health Minister Mikhail Murashko on Wednesday said 100,000 people have received nation's domestically developed vaccine as President Vlimir Putin ordered a "large-scale" COVID-19 immunisation campaign.

Speaking to UN via videolink, Murashko also revealed that "high-risk population groups" were given Sputnik V vaccine as clinical trials for immunisation continued.

Russia has touted Sputnik V, as world's "first registered COVID-19 vaccine" after government gave it regulatory approval in early August.

However, giving shots go-ahe drew considerable criticism from experts, because at time Sputnik V only h been tested on several dozen people.

Murashko also told UN that "collected data" has shown that vaccine causes a "strong antibody and cell-immune response" in those who receive immunisation.

His comments were me on same day Putin said that more than 2 million doses of Sputnik V jab "has been produced or will have been produced in next few days."

Russian president me anuncement hours after Britain became first country in West to authorise use of a vaccine against coronavirus developed by US drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech.

Kirill Dmitriyev, who hes Russian Direct Investment Fund that bankrolled Sputnik V's development urged nations to "forget about politics" and said "togerness" was integral in defeating coronavirus pandemic.

Russia’s total of over 2.3 million confirmed cases is currently fourth-largest caselo in world.