A European Union agency on Wednesday said Russia has launched a major effort using government ministries, companies and pro-Kremlin media to spread disinformation that the West and the EU are trying to sabotage its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, the Associated Press said.
In a report published by the strategic communications branch of the EU's external action service, the agency accused Russia of using "antagonistic messaging" and spreading fake news claiming that other nations are trying to undermine the shot, which has not yet been approved for use in Europe.
The report also found that through social media and various news outlets, Russia has attempted to "undermine public trust" in the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Europe's main drug and vaccine regulator.
"The Russian campaign to promote the Sputnik V vaccine has accelerated and developed into a whole-of-government approach including state authorities, state companies and state mass media in almost daily interventions," the report said.
The EMA began a rolling review of Sputnik V last month but hasn't yet approved its use.
For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund, Russia's sovereign wealth fund that has bankrolled Sputnik V and is in charge of marketing it abroad, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Last month, the Kremlin rejected similar accusations by U.S. officials and said that Russia has never been involved in any disinformation campaigns targeting other countries' COVID-19 vaccines.
The report, on virus-linked disinformation seen between December and April, said that Russian officials "engage in antagonistic messaging, using disinformation to accuse the West and the EU of sabotaging the Russian vaccine."
The EU's disinformation experts accused pro-Kremlin media outlets, including the official Sputnik V Twitter account, of trying to "undermine public trust" in the EMA and "cast doubt on its procedures and political impartiality."
The plan, the report said, appeared to be "to undermine and fragment the common European approach of securing vaccine supplies."
When the EMA announced that it was studying the Russian vaccine in early March, the agency said that while it couldn't predict how long the process would take, "it should take less time than normal to evaluate an eventual application because of the work done during the rolling review."
The disinformation report said pro-Kremlin media is trying to spread allegations that the EMA is postponing the review.
The European Commission, which has been securing contracts with vaccine makers on behalf of EU countries, doesn't intend to order Sputnik V, but Germany's health minister said earlier this month that Berlin plans to hold talks with Russia to see whether an individual order might make sense.
Elsewhere in the EU, Hungary in February became the first country in the bloc to start using Sputnik V and China's Sinopharm vaccine, neither of which has been approved by the EMA.
Last month, Slovakia's government collapsed after its former prime minister orchestrated a secret deal to buy 2 million Sputnik V doses, despite disagreements with his coalition partners.
The lack of EMA approval leaves any governments choosing to use Sputnik V more legally exposed in case of any problems with the shots.
Newsweek, in partnership with NewsGuard, is dedicated to providing accurate and verifiable vaccine and health information. With NewsGuard's HealthGuard browser extension, users can verify if a website is a trustworthy source of health information. Visit the Newsweek VaxFacts website to learn more and to download the HealthGuard browser extension.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
