Disinfo: The EU is trying to discredit Sputnik V

Summary

The European Union is taking measures to discredit the Russian vaccine, according to a a statement of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of the Russian Federation.

“The European bureaucrats cannot live with the situation when Russia, using its achievements in the fight against infection, seeks to help other countries and, which is especially terrible, can profit from this commercially. They are trying to suppress this "sick" activity of Russia and take urgent measures to discredit the vaccine created by Russian scientists, "- a statement signed by Sergei Ivanov, head of the SVR press bureau, said.

The head of the Strategic Communications and Information Analysis division of the European External Action Service, Lutz Guellner, said the EU needs to delay the registration of the Russian vaccine until July or August, so that the Western companies can expand their [vaccine] production.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation about the EU, vaccination and Sputnik V.

The disinformation message appeared in the Russian media based on the press release of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation. The claims of the press release quoted by the Russian media have no basis in reality.

Since 4 March, 2021 the Sputnik V vaccine is under the rolling review of the European Medicines Agency. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is a decentralised agency of the European Union responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines in the EU. EMA is governed by an independent Management Board. No EU official has made any statements about the timing of approval of Sputnik V.

Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti and several other outlets have subsequently included the statement by the EU Spokesperson refuting claims falsely attributed to the EEAS official. See more here.

See related disinformation messages alleging that the West aims to intensify its campaign against the Sputnik V vaccine; that mass fatalities will show up in Italy to discredit Sputnik V; that the EMA will try to postpone the authorisation of Sputnik V.

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svr.gov.ru (Archived)
Kommersant (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 238
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 30/03/2021
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia, EU
  • Keywords: Sputnik V, vaccination
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