Russia’s political and business elite have reportedly had early access to an experimental coronavirus vaccine.
Billionaire tycoons and government officials are believed to have started receiving vaccines developed by the Gamaleya Institute in Moscow in early April.
It occurs when the country runs to be among the first to develop a Covid-19 inoculation.
Russia’s political and business elite have reportedly had early access to an experimental coronavirus vaccine. Photo Shows: Russian President Vladimir Putin
Several unidentified sources told Bloomberg news agency that among those believed to have already received the vaccine are senior executives at companies such as aluminum giant Rusal, owned by billionaire Oleg Deripaska.
The Gamaleya vaccine, which is funded by the Russian Direct Investment Fund and backed by the Defense Ministry, completed its first phase of testing with military personnel last week.
The institute has not yet released the study results, but the next stage of testing in larger groups has already begun.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov (pictured with Putin), who recovered from the coronavirus after being hospitalized in May, said he did not know the names of those who had received the institute’s vaccine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who recovered from the coronavirus after being hospitalized in May, said he did not know the names of those who had received the institute’s vaccine.
Speaking today during a conference call with journalists, Mr. Peskov was asked if President Vladimir Putin had received the vaccine.
He said: “It would probably not be a good idea to use an uncertified vaccine on the head of state,” adding that he was not aware of other officials trying to do so.
Mr. Peskov’s comments follow a statement from the Ministry of Health stating that only participants in the Gamaleya trials are eligible for the experimental jabs.
But the claims come after a member of Russia’s business elite, Kirill Dmitriev, previously publicly revealed that he had received the vaccine.
But the claims come after a member of Russia’s business elite, Kirill Dmitriev, previously publicly revealed that he and his wife Natalia Popova (pictured) had received the vaccine.
The 45-year-old manager of the Russian $ 10 billion Direct Investment Fund said that he, his wife Natalia Popova and his family developed “twice as many antibodies” as a typical patient after being injected.
According to a researcher close to the effort, the program under which well-connected Russians have volunteered for doses of the vaccine is legal, but has been kept private to avoid an avalanche of potential participants.
He stated that several hundred people have been involved, but it is still unclear how these participants are selected.
He thought that those who receive the blows are not charged a fee, but rather sign the statements confirming that they are aware of the risks involved in the experimental blow.
Sergei Netesov, a former executive at a state virology center in Siberia, recently stated that although the new vaccines are considered “safe,” their efficacy has yet to be determined.
He added: “Those who take it do so at their own risk.”
Gamaleya boss Alexander Ginzbur said he was unaware of any government official or business leader taking the vaccine from his institute, according to Interfax.
The Kremlin is now preparing to enter Phase III trials of the vaccine and plans to begin mass immunization before the end of the year, possibly making it the first country in the world to do so.
The speculation comes after the UK, US, and Canada accused Russian hackers of targeting researchers at Oxford University, who are already in phase III trials of their own vaccine (stock image)
Speculation is coming after the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada accused Russian hackers of attacking researchers from the University of Oxford, which are already in phase III trials of their own vaccine.
That has fueled speculation that hackers, from a group known as Cozy Bear that has ties to the Russian state, managed to steal confidential information and used it to advance their own investigation.
British intelligence declined to reveal if any information was stolen.
Dmitriev dismissed that speculation in an interview with Times Radio, accusing western states of being “scared by the success” of the Russian vaccine and trying to tarnish the good news.
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