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Coronavirus pandemic

Belarusian prime minister inoculated with Russian COVID-19 vaccine

On August 11, Russia became the first country in the world to register a COVID-19 vaccine, under the name of Sputnik V

Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko Alexander Astafyev/POOL/TASS

Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko

© Alexander Astafyev/POOL/TASS

MINSK, September 7. /TASS/. Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko was inoculated with the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, his spokeswoman Alexandra Isayeva said Monday, adding that the prime minister feels fine.

"The prime minister took the vaccine on Thursday, after the talks with his Russian counterpart. He feels great," the spokeswoman said.

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Golovchenko’s decision to test the Russian coronavirus vaccine was announced by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin during his meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

"I am happy that Roman Alexandrovich Golovchenko decided to get vaccinated today. I am certain that everything will be fine," Mishustin said back then.

Earlier, Presidents Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko agreed that Belarus would become one of the first countries where the COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Russia’s Gamaleya Institute, would be shipped.

Besides, the republic will join the final stage of the vaccine’s post-registration testing, allowing its citizens to volunteer for the third testing stage.

On August 11, Russia became the first country in the world to register a COVID-19 vaccine, under the name of Sputnik V. The medicine, developed by the Gamaleya Institute, passed clinical trials in July. It is based on a previously developed platform, used for many other vaccines. On August 15, the Ministry of Health announced mass production of the medicine. According to Russian Direct Investment Fund Head Kirill Dmitriev, Russia has already received orders from 20 countries for shipment of 1 billion doses of the vaccine.

Middle East conflict

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Russia starts humanitarian electricity supplies to Abkhazia — minister

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Greenland's parliament reminds Trump that island not for sale

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Putin to extend New Year greetings to peoples of several unfriendly countries — Kremlin

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Victor Orban also said that hopes for the development of economic cooperation with the United States after President-elect Donald Trump takes office

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Crew, passenger of An-2 plane crashed in Kamchatka satisfactory — medics

All three of them are in satisfactory condition, but it is too early to talk about their discharge, the regional hospital staff said

Ukraine's refusal to transit Russian gas will hit EU economies hard — French expert

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Putin agrees 'Russian world' now faces war

The Russian leader also agreed with Sergey Mironov, head of the "A Just Russia - For Truth" faction in the Duma, who said that "the birth rate is insufficient, because the matter concerns extinction"

Ukrainian troops struggling to escape being trapped in Lozovaya in Kharkov region — expert

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"Such an achievement would serve his interests as the incoming US president," Leonid Slutsky noted

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Zelensky actually flips the bird to Trump by insulting Putin, Medvedev says

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Kiev considers negotiations with Russia inevitable, Ukrainian official says

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Response to Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Rylsk to come shortly — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya warned as he denounced the attack as yet another unambiguous step by the Kiev regime toward escalation

IN BRIEF: What is known about blast at former plant in Russia’s Khakassia Region

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Putin opens new transport infrastructure sites in Russian regions via video link

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Group of foreign mercenaries taken out in Velikaya Novosyolka in Donbass region

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Turkish president calls on West to stop Israel in Syria before it’s too late

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