DPR worried about health of millions of Ukrainians after Kiev’s rejection of Russian vaccines

Donetsk, Feb 11 - DAN. Kiev put under threat the health of millions of Ukrainian citizens as it rejected the Russian vaccine, Donetsk People’s Republic authorised representative to the Contact Group talks, DPR Foreign Minister Natalia Nikonorova said on Thursday.

On February 10, Alexey Reznikov, Ukraine’s Minister for Reintegration of the “Temporarily Occupied Territories” told the RBK-Ukraine news portal that the population of the LPR and the DPR was shut off from urgent medical assistance.

“Ukrainian authorities, after seven years of shelling of the Republic, the humanitarian, economic and transport blockade and infringement of rights and freedoms suddenly decided to become concerned over the health of our residents. Apparently, as part of this concern, the minister for “reintegration” of Donbass speaks to media outlets about “medical genocide” in the Republic,” Nikonorova said.

In her opinion, Kiev should focuse on the condition of health care in Ukraine in the first place, and solve the problem of vaccinating the population against coronavirus.

“That country could have had the real opportunity to help its citizens with deliveries of the effective and safe Russian vaccine. Instead, Ukrainian authorities prefer to continue the absurd politicizing of the humanitarian sphere, and the anti-Russian policy. The price of such solutions is not only the breakaway Donbass, which no longer wants to belong to that country, but the life and health of millions of Ukrainian residents,” the minister said recommending Kiev to soberly assess the consequences of such administrative decisions for their country.

Russia began to produce a COVID-19 vaccine last summer. It was registered on August 11, the first in the world. The vaccine, Sputnik V, was developed by the Russian Health Ministry’s Gamaleya Research Centre. Russian vaccines are expected to be delivered to more than 50 states.

The DPR launched vaccination using Sputnik V on February 1. Ukraine is currently the only country in Europe which has not begun vaccination against COVID-19.*jk