MOSCOW -- Russia has developed the first vaccine offering "sustainable immunity" against the coronavirus, President Vladimir Putin announced Tuesday.
"This morning, for the first time in the world, a vaccine against the new coronavirus was registered" in Russia, he said during a televised video conference call with government ministers.
"One of my daughters had this vaccine. I think in this sense she took part in the experiment," Putin said.
Addressing the Philippines late Monday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he accepted Russia's offer to supply the country with a vaccine. Duterte said he would be among the first to receive it to prove its safety.
Russia has been pushing hard to quickly develop a coronavirus vaccine and said earlier this month it hoped to launch mass production within weeks and turn out "several million" doses per month by next year.
The World Health Organization last week urged Russia to follow established guidelines and go "through all the stages" necessary to develop a safe vaccine.
The pandemic has seen an unprecedented mobilization of funding and research to rush through a vaccine that can protect billions of people worldwide.
