Prognosis
Russia Demands Vaccine Shots Back After Slovakia Doubts Quality
- Regulator says batch sent to Slovakia didn’t match other shots
- Russia says Slovakia broke contract, demands inoculations back
Photographer: Asim Hafeez/Bloomberg
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Slovakia and Russia clashed over the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine after the European Union member accused Moscow of delivering shots that were different from those used in a peer-reviewed study.
Russia rejected the allegations and demanded Bratislava return the 200,000 doses it sent. The dispute may set back efforts to use Sputnik widely in Europe. Slovakia was one of a few members of the bloc pushing to use the Russia-developed vaccine to help speed the roll-out of inoculations. But political tensions over the push to use what one critic called “a tool in hybrid war” caused a crisis that cost Prime Minister Igor Matovic his job.