MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/. Russia and Syria have set up a working group on the localization of the production of the Russian coronavirus vaccine in Syria, Mikhail Mezentsev, chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center, said on Thursday.

"It was decided to implement a large-scale project for the localization of the production of Russian [coronavirus] vaccines in Syria. Russia has set up a corresponding working group. No doubt, we will accomplish this task jointly with our Syrian friends," he said.

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Imran Riza said earlier that the UN welcomed supplies of 250,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik Light vaccine and one million testing systems to Syria.

Syria’s Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Susan told TASS that Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine is in high demand in Syria, where it is regarded as the most effective coronavirus vaccine. Sputnik V was registered in Syria on February 22.