Ukraine against using Russian COVID-19 vaccine due to 'propaganda factor', turns to EU

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has said that he is against the use of Russian COVID-19 vaccine 'Sputnik V' due to Moscow's "propaganda factor”. While speaking to Ukraine's 1+1 TV channel, Kuleba said that the propaganda capabilities of Sputnik V surpass by far its actual capabilities and effectiveness. 

This comes after Ukrainian Health Ministry last week said that it is impossible to the vaccine in the country before the end of Phase Three of clinical trials. Meanwhile, Head of the Political Council of the Opposition Platform, Viktor Medvedchuk backed Kuleba's assertions and said that the vaccine has nothing to do with medicine or with the interests of Ukrainian citizens.

According to the Russian news agency Tass, Kuleba said was against the use of Sputnik V in Ukraine. Further, he accused Russia of not caring about the health of Ukrainians and said that Russia cares about imposing its ideology. 

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Ukraine turns to EU

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal informed that Kiev is holding talks with all vaccine manufacturers except for the Russian ones. Thanking China for the vaccine supplies, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said that the country will be launching a large-scale inoculation.

Kiev, in the month of December, concluded a contract of obtaining over 1.9 million doses of the preparation produced by Chinese Sinovac Biotech. The first batch of 70,000 doses is also expected to reach by the month of February.

Zelenskiy also asked  European Union countries for more help in obtaining COVID-19 vaccines. During the month of November, President Vladimir Zelensky tested positive for the virus and took to Twitter to reveal his COVID-19 diagnosis. The president worked from home after going into self-isolation but was taken to the hospital later. After this, Zelenskiy's cabinet voted in favour of imposing a national lockdown at weekends to curb the rapid spread of the infection. 

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(Image Credits: AP/RepresentativeImage)