Disinfo: Ukrainian lab to produce Sputnik V vaccine

Summary

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and the Gamaleya Centre are poised to manufacture the Sputnik V vaccine in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian pharmaceutical company Biolik has already arranged for the production of the vaccine.

Disproof

The story advances a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative flaunting the supposed superiority of the Russian-made coronavirus vaccine.

The claim was promptly debunked by the laboratory itself. On the day of RDIF's announcement, Biolik management issued a statement saying that the company "signed no contracts, received no technology transfers concerning the production of the Sputnik V vaccine," stressing that it conducts manufacturing operations "in accordance with Ukrainian laws currently in force" and "only in case of its [drug's] registration by the state."

According to Ukrainian Healthcare Minister Maksym Stepanov, the Ukrainian government is not planning to acquire the Russian vaccine, "given that the latter has not yet gone through the third stage of clinical trials."

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  • Reported in: Issue 224
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 08/12/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian, English, Spanish, Português (Brazil), Serbian, Arabic
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: Sputnik V, coronavirus, vaccination
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The Belarusian authorities have said many times that protests in the country are coordinated from abroad. Lukashenko accuses Western countries of direct interference in the situation in the republic. The US is the main coordinator and Europeans are supporters of the riots in Belarus.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Lithuania and alleged Western attempts to organise a colour revolution in Belarus.

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Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on NATO belligerence towards Russia and on Russophobia.

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Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin media report in support of Venezuela and of the authoritarian Maduro regime. It also aims to discredit international and European criticism to the electoral process and accuse the West and more specifically, the EU, of interference in the country's domestic affairs.

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