On January 29, the Russian Federation sent 800,000 doses of the vaccine against COVID-19 Sputnik Light to Turkmenistan. The statement was made by Maria Zakharova, the Director of the Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, as part of a briefing, on February 4, as reported by the press office of the government department.
The official stressed that 300,000 doses were supplied free of charge. According to her, Moscow and Ashgabat continue close cooperation in the fight against coronavirus. In addition, the Russian Federation is ready to expand friendly cooperation with the Central Asian state.
The first batch of Sputnik Light vaccine was delivered to Turkmenistan on December 24 last year. The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Ashgabat Alexander Blokhin suggested that the medicine would be used for revaccination.
On December 28, 2021, at the informal summit of the CIS heads of state, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov thanked Moscow for the vaccines and confirmed that Sputnik Light will be used as a booster vaccine in the country.
To date, no COVID-19 cases were officially registered in Turkmenistan.
