Russia's President, Vladimir Putin has made the decision to receive the Russian coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed via a Russian state TV channel on Sunday.
"He said he will be vaccinated, he made this decision and was waiting until all formalities are completed," Peskov was quoted as saying to Rossiya 1 TV Channel on its website.
Earlier in December, Russia launched a voluntary vaccination program with the Russia-made Sputnik V vaccine, prioritising the most vulnerable groups in Moscow.
Putin had stated earlier that the Russian vaccine was effective and safe and he saw no reason not to be vaccinated while also adding that he was waiting for the vaccine to be made available. In August, he also said that one of his daughters had taken part in the clinical trial of the vaccine and felt well afterwards.
Russian health ministry had approved the vaccine for use by elderly people on Saturday after a separate trial and a day after, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin declared on his website that people over the age of 60 may begin to apply for shots from Monday onwards.
