Ukrainian Health Minister Maksym Stepanov has said there is no way the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 will complete registration in Ukraine.
"A certain political force has staged a hysterical performance over the Russian Sputnik V vaccine registration. I can say right away that 'you can throw fits for as long as you want' but no one will register the Russian vaccine in this country," the minister told an online briefing on January 29, an UNIAN correspondent reports.
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In August 2020, Russia claimed it had registered the "world's first" vaccine against COVID-19, and that it was allegedly tested by one of Putin's daughters.
Moscow has failed to provide to the international community any data on vaccine trials that would confirm the drug's safety and efficacy against COVID-19. The third stage of clinical trials has not yet been conducted.
On January 2, 2021, Ukrainian media reported that the Kharkiv-based Biolek pharmaceutical firm had submitted to the Health Ministry an application to register the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in Ukraine.
The Health Ministry said it was negotiating with AstraZeneca and other leading global vaccine manufacturers.
In February-March 2021, Ukraine expects the delivery of the first vaccine batch
The batch set to be delivered via the COVAX Facility will include 8 million doses, which will be enough to vaccinate 4 million people. First in line to get their jabs will be the country's medics, as well as vulnerable groups, including the elderly and patients with serious health conditions.
On December 30, 2020, Ukraine signed a contract with China's Sinovac for the supply of 1.9 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine.
