MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The authorities of a number of Russian regions have introduced mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 for certain groups of citizens strictly in accordance with the law, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his annual Q&A session on Wednesday.

The head of state explained that one could understand the vaccination situation by turning to the 1998 law, which refers to the immune protection of the population.

"The second component of that law says that, in the event of an increase in the number of cases, in the event of an epidemic in certain regions of Russia, regional heads have the right to introduce mandatory vaccination for certain groups of citizens, especially those from risk groups, upon the recommendation of the chief sanitary doctors," Putin said, adding that there is no confusion here, and everyone is acting in line with the law.

As Putin explained, another component of that law includes the national immunization calendar, and prescriptions there are mandatory. "There were proposals from colleagues to move COVID vaccination to this section, but members of the State Duma did not support them," he noted. That is why vaccination against COVID-19 has not been included in that calendar and is not mandatory, the president disclosed.