UPDATE: Russia to begin Sputnik V delivery to EU in May

(updates headline, add details in paragraphs 1–2)

MOSCOW, Feb 9 (PRIME) -- Russia may start deliveries of the Sputnik V anti-coronavirus vaccine to the European Union no earlier than in May or June, only after mass vaccination has been finished locally, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) CEO Kirill Dmitriev said on Tuesday, as broadcasted by Rossiya 24 television channel.

“Large-scale supplies to the E.U. are possible only after mass vaccination in Russia is finished… It is only then that we will be able to provide really large-scale deliveries to the E.U., it is May or June of this year and no earlier,” he said.

A RDIF representative told PRIME that the fund had applied for registration of the Sputnik V vaccine to the E.U. medicines regulator on January 29, and it was accepted.

“The RDIF sent an application to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to participate in a scientific consultation on the Sputnik V vaccine on October 22, 2020. Representatives of the fund, the developers of the Sputnik V vaccine, and the EMA officials held such a scientific consultation on January 19, 2021,” the representative said.

“On January 29, 2020, the RDIF applied for registration of the Sputnik V vaccine in the European Union and launched the process of data application to the EMA using the rolling review procedure. The fund has an official confirmation from the EMA that the application was received. The timeframe of the approval procedure is set by the EMA.”

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