After months of keeping a secret, Vladimir Putin revealed which vaccine he had received

After months of mystery, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed on Wednesday that was vaccinated against the coronavirus with Sputnik V, developed by the governing country.

Putin, who attended an event to answer questions sent by Russian citizens, stressed that he opted for the vaccine because it was the one used to immunize the military.

“I made the decision to wear … Sputnik V, especially since our armed forces are immune with Sputnik V and I am the supreme commander (of the army),” Putin said, according to the Russian news agency Sputnik.

The Russian president confirmed on April 14 that he had received the second dose of the vaccine, about three weeks after being inoculated with the first, without either he or the government commenting on the drug used.

Vaccination is not compulsory

Putin on Wednesday called on citizens to “listen to the experts” and get vaccinated, although opposed to compulsory vaccination at the national level, despite the fact that the country has recorded death certificate by covid-19 for the second consecutive day.

“I am not in favor of compulsory vaccination,” he said at an annual televised session where he answers questions from citizens, whom he invited to be vaccinated in a way. voluntary.

“There have always been people who, in general, consider that vaccines should not be given, and there are many (…) not only in our country but also abroad” , did he declare. But “you don’t need to listen to people who don’t understand these things, which are based on rumors, but rather experts,” he added.

Although he does not agree with compulsory vaccination at the national level, Putin stressed that, to avoid strict containment, “some regions are introducing” this compulsory vaccination “for certain categories” of people.

The country, which suffers from a spike in infections with the Delta variant, highly infectious, reported 669 deaths from the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, exceeding the death toll of 652 the day before, according to a government count.

The cities most affected are the capital, Moscow and St. Petersburg, the second city of the country and seat of the football matches of the Eurocup, which recorded respectively 117 and 111 deaths.

In total, the country recorded 21,042 new infections in the last 24 hours and it already adds 5.5 million cases since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The number officially registered deaths is 135,214But the statistics agency Rosstat, which has a broader definition of deaths linked to covid-19, had counted 270,000 deaths at the end of April.

Yes indeed, Russia is the European country with the highest number of deaths from covid-19, while the vaccination campaign started in December was very slow, due to the mistrust of the population.

Moscow has again imposed measures such as a return to telework for some of the employees, compulsory vaccination of workers in the service sector and a health pass to go to restaurants.

But for now no general confinement is planned like the tax in spring 2020 in this capital of 12 million inhabitants.

The government admitted on Monday that its goal of vaccinating 60% of the population by fall was unachievable.

With information from agencies.

AFG