Russian President Vladimir Putin has slammed a ban on Russian COVID vaccines in some countries despite the shots proving their efficacy, stressing that such restrictions are absurd and politically-motivated.

“Let me remind you that the Russian vaccine is recognized as the safest and most effective. The effectiveness is over 96%. And according to our regulatory authorities, there is no deaths from the use of the vaccine”, Putin said in his speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

He suggested that some countries don’t appear to be interested in protecting their own citizens against the pandemic.

The Russian president also added that only 10 percent of the globe’s population have got their anti-COVID shots, noting that hundreds of millions have no access to any vaccine.

He also noted that the global economy is returning to normal after the pandemic.

Source: Sputnik