Hundreds of corona deaths in Russia – and further hope for Sputnik V

The corona situation in Russia with more than 900 deaths a day, tens of thousands of new infections and a comparatively low vaccination rate cannot satisfy President Vladimir Putin. “The numbers are very bad, and in fact it is a cause for concern,” said Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The main cause of the highest death rate to date is the poor vaccination rate. “The virus is becoming more and more malicious,” says Peskow. When it comes to corona deaths, Russia has long held a top position internationally.

In August last year, Putin announced that Russia, with Sputnik V, was the first country in the world to have an effective vaccine against developed the coronavirus. The 69-year-old has repeatedly praised him as the best in the world – and had himself vaccinated with it. Russian researchers have also developed four other vaccines. But so far not 50 million people or just 30 percent of the Russian population have received at least one dose.

“Only vaccination protects against death,” warns Peskow. But many Russians did not believe the government’s assurances that the vaccinations were safe. Western vaccines are not allowed in Russia. And a possible boost in confidence through the long-awaited EU approval of Sputnik V has not yet been achieved.

Political reasons in the EU

The German diplomat Markus Ederer, Ambassador of the European Union in Moscow, sees the low vaccination rate as one of the reasons why the EU is still not opening its borders completely to Russian tourists. It is true that the power apparatus in Moscow complains time and again that there are political reasons in the EU for the fact that Sputnik V – with the exception of special routes in Hungary, for example – is not allowed. But Ederer rejects this.

It is rather clear that Russia has still not provided the documents required by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Russia itself even canceled a trip planned for October by EMA experts, “because we are not that far yet,” as the German press agency learned from Western diplomatic circles in Moscow.

It is not the first time that Russia has not met the deadlines for the inspections required by the EMA, says Ambassador Ederer in an interview with the Russian daily “RBK” (Friday). “That slows down the process.” Ederer sees the situation similarly when it comes to the question of the lack of recognition of Sputnik V by the WHO.

It was already controversial last year that Russia released Sputnik V for use, although not all test phases were completed. Health Minister Michail Muraschko announced at the end of September that the third and final phase of the Sputnik V tests had now been completed. So far, the EMA in Amsterdam has always said that there was still a lack of “sufficient” evidence for approval on the EU market. The authority is therefore waiting for documents in order to be able to better assess the data sets available so far.

WHO examines production facilities

A spokesman for the WHO also announced that the organization could only allow Sputnik V when all data are available and there is clarity about the safety of the preparation. As with other vaccines, the WHO is testing production facilities. The process continues. The aim of the procedure is to accelerate access to safe and effective vaccines in order to save lives and get the pandemic under control.

The one for international Sputnik sales The responsible Russian state direct investment fund announced on request that the EMA experts were expected in Russia this autumn. The Ministry of Health expects an appointment in December. Western diplomats assume, however, that EU approval could drag on until spring 2022.

It is also unclear whether – as offered by Brussels – the EU and Russia mutually recognize their vaccination certificates. That would be independent of whether the vaccines are approved in the countries themselves. Time and again, people who have received Sputnik V are annoyed that they are not considered vaccinated in Germany and have to be in quarantine, even though the vaccine is recognized in more than 70 countries. A German court recently confirmed that a Sputnik vaccination is not recognized in the Federal Republic of Germany mutual recognition of vaccination certificates. Russia has sent the necessary documents to the EU, says Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov. There is cause for “optimism”. The fastest possible result is also important for those who traveled between the EU and Russia.