Russia continues running a subversive information campaign aimed at both discrediting vaccines produced in the United States and Europe, and vaccination itself. The campaign’s goal is use of the pandemic and the shortage of effective vaccines in order to increase its geopolitical influence and minimize the pressure of the EU and the United States sanctions imposed for systematic international law violations and gross interference in the affairs of foreign states.
At the same time, Moscow accuses the West of discrediting its Sputnik V vaccine. In fact, these accusations are used to cover Russian psyops and to prepare arguments for negotiations on the Sputnik V under-the-carpet shipments abroad. Russians are trying to style out their vaccine trials in a general discredit of all vaccines on the world market and accusations of foreign unfair competition. This approach shows that Russians are aware of the defects and possible side effects of their vaccine; that is why they are taking preventive actions. When such information is finally revealed, it will be neutralized by the negative stories about other vaccines or considered as mud-slinging.
The process of Russian vaccine import in some countries, especially in Europe, gives cause for concern. Here we mean bribery and recruitment of politicians. Prime Minister of Slovakia Igor Matovich joined Russia’s operation to promote the Sputnik V vaccine that had not undergone necessary clinical trials and had not been approved by the EU and the USA as a vaccine. Matovic held secret negotiations with the Kremlin resulting in using a military cargo to ship 200,000 Russian vaccine doses by bypassing the European regulations.
His theses on the reliability of Russia and partnership at the airport briefing are fully correlated with the messages sent by Italian representatives during Moscow’s operation on biological and electronic reconnaissance on the territory of this country in 2020.
The under-the-carpet import of Russian vaccine to Slovakia has already caused a serious political crisis in the country and the resignation of the Minister of Health.
As the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Ivan Korczok says the Sputnik V vaccine is an instrument of hybrid war that splits Europe.
However, Russia’s operation was effectively covered by the propaganda media showing the EU countries’ readiness to use the Russian vaccine. For the same purpose, the Kremlin conducted a disinformation campaign about the agreements with Italy, Spain, France on the Sputnik V vaccine production on their territory; although this information was refuted by the governments of the mentioned countries. Thus, by lobbying for the Sputnik V vaccine production in Europe the Russians are trying to use a precedent that would allow breaking Europe’s unified medicine approval system. In fact, we are talking about Moscow’s plans to destroy United Europe that would enable the Kremlin to build corrupt ties with the leaders of national governments, achieve its economic and political goals.
The Kremlin selects the most-pandemic affected countries to import the Sputnik V vaccine. Moscow believes that it is supposed to create the necessary public opinion in these countries, and the refusal of the Russian vaccine may get the governments of these countries pressed by the population. Blackmailing by public opinion is also accompanied by bribing officials and medical experts who make a decision on the Russian Sputnik V import.Actually, we mean using blackmail and compromising evidence to recruit political leaders of foreign states. As anti-corruption experts estimate, terms of shipment and financial transfers from Russia to individuals involved in providing a green light of unverified and dubious Russian Sputnik V medicine to European countries requires thorough investigation. The facts of the Russian medicine under-the-table shipments, non-transparent agreements and unfounded use for vaccination pose too high political risks that can be only justified by the serious compromising materials, economic (financial) interest included, and recruitment by Russian intelligence.
In February 2021, a corruption vaccination scandal erupted in Argentina. The individuals close to Minister of Health Gines Gonzalez Garcia were shot with a Russian medicine in a preferred manner.
The full list of the countries that have allowed the Russian medicine import directly indicates the Kremlin’s high political influence in these states. In fact, this list evolves Russia’s allies characterized by democracy deficit, corruption, human rights problems, or anti-Western orientation due to the leftist ideas dominance.
As US State Department spokesman Ned Price says, ‘Russia is up to its old tricks, and in doing so it is potentially putting people at risk by spreading disinformation about vaccines that we know to be saving lives every day’.
