COVID-19: Shipment of ventilators worth $5.6 million arrives in Russia from US

A shipment of US-made ventilators worth $5.6 million arrived in Russia on June 4 in a bid to help fight the deadly coronavirus disease,  the US embassy in Moscow said in a statement. According to the reports, this is the first US humanitarian aid delivery that will help Russia tackle the pandemic. The embassy spokesperson Rebecca Ross wrote on Twitter, "Arriving now in Moscow: Humanitarian aid delivery from the American people to the people of Russia. This represents a $5.6 million donation which includes 200 much needed U.S.-manufactured ventilators to help Russia deal with the #COVID19 crisis.@MFA_Russia @USAID"

READ: Russia To Spend Over $70 Billion On Coronavirus Recovery Plan, Says PM Mishustin

A statement from the embassy reportedly said that US bore 100 percent of the cost, delivery, and startup supplies of the ventilators. Earlier in April, Russia had also sent a shipment with medical supplies and ventilators to US which were being utilised in New York and New Jersey. 

READ: Canada's Justin Trudeau Rejects Donald Trump's Demand To Invite Russia For G7 Summit

Russia eases lockdown restrictions

As Russia has ‘passed the peak’ of coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin reportedly announced that the country will be spending over $70 billion on the virus recovery plan. According to Johns Hopkins University tally, Russia has the third-highest number of COVID-19 cases across the globe, only behind the United States and Brazil. Currently, the country has over 423,000 confirmed cases and the deadly virus has also claimed nearly 5,000 lives. 

READ: Trudeau Says Russia Won't Be Included In The G7
READ: Russian President Putin Declares Emergency After 20,000 Tonnes Of Fuel Spill Into River