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Russia approves coronavirus vaccine

Russia approves coronavirus vaccine

Russia has become the first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine - though there are concerns the process has been rushed.

President Putin says one of his daughters has already had it, and it's undergone proper testing.

But scientists say trials haven't gone on for long enough, and that could backfire.

Kirill Dmitriev is the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which is paying for research.

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He said: "No shortcuts were taken but basically Russia used the proven vaccine platform that was developed over 6 years.

"It's a safe and very efficient approach."

Meanwhile Sky's science correspondent Thomas Moore says this isn't about good science.

Moore said: "It is going to be called Sputnik V - a direct reference to the satellite that Russia started the 'Space Race' with successfully putting a satellite into orbit for the first time.

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"I think it's a poke at the West and it's more about geo-politics."

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