EU report takes aim at Russia over vaccine fake news

Russia, using ministries, companies and pro-Kremlin media, has launched a large-scale campaign to promote the covid-19 Sputnik V vaccine and is spreading disinformation that the West and the European Union are trying to undermine the credibility of the vaccine. This is stated in a report published today by the European External Action Service, which is the de facto diplomatic corps of the European Union. Russia and China are also disseminating information about the negative effects of Western vaccines to undermine their credibility. The report was reported by AP and Reuters.

“Russia’s campaign to promote Sputnik V has accelerated and evolved into an attitude of the entire government, including government agencies, state-owned companies and the media with almost daily output,” the report said.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which financed Sputnik V and is in charge of its sale abroad, has not yet responded to the AP’s request for comment. The Kremlin denied similar allegations by US authorities in March, saying Russia had never engaged in any disinformation campaign against other countries’ vaccines.

According to the report, the campaign aims to “undermine and fragment a coherent European approach to the purchase of vaccines”. One of the widespread misinformation is the claim that the EMA is deliberately delaying its evaluation of the Russian vaccine.

Most European Union countries are awaiting the EMA’s opinion when purchasing vaccines. An exception is Hungary, which is already vaccinating with Sputnik V. In Slovakia, the purchase of Sputnik V at the initiative of Prime Minister Igor Matovic led to the government crisis and its end at the head of the cabinet. Germany has announced that it will continue negotiations with Russia on a possible supply of Sputnik V for the time being. Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would only buy the vaccine if the EMA recommended it for approval. Otherwise, Germany will use other vaccines. In the Czech Republic, Sputnik V is the subject of debate, but the government has not yet ordered it, so it is not vaccinated.