Self-defeating: Russia does not recognize people vaccinated by its own "Sputnik", but abroad

The Russian bureaucracy sets completely unimaginable records of cynicism and stupidity, so there are simply no words. Their own vaccine "Sputnik", praised in all corners and in all basements, but injected not in a domestic clinic, but in a Serbian, or Kazakh, or Hungarian vaccination center is not recognized in Russia! Network analyst Alexanl Dragan spoke about this and other equally outrageous facts of the work of officials in his blog:

"Sputnik" is ours, but it is... not ours

A few days ago, the enlightened Internet suddenly learned that the Serbian "Sputnik" is not listed in Russia - and those who were vaccinated with it in Serbia, Russia considers unvaccinated. It's a shameful story, but nothing new.

In fact, Sputnik is still more interesting: the problem is not in Serbia taken separately. Long before Serbian expats faced the same problem in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Moldova - wherever they are vaccinated with Sputnik.

In Kazakhstan, vaccination began nine months ago - as early as February 1, today about 80% of the vaccines used in the country are Sputnik (which is more than 6 million people). And in Russia it is not quoted - and this affects both Kazakhstanis and Russians who have taken root in Kazakhstan. And the problem did not arise yesterday: in Kazakhstan they have been talking about it since spring and summer.

Belarus began the vaccination campaign on December 29, and since the end of February, a joint production of Sputnik with Russia has been launched here. However, those who are vaccinated in Belarus find themselves in the same situation as Kazakhstanis: Russia does not recognize the Belarusian Sputnik. Meanwhile, 75% of the vaccines used in Belarus are exactly "Sputnik" (which is almost 2 million people).

Here is a very typical story, says a Russian who works in Belarus: “Actually, I was vaccinated, though abroad, but in the most friendly country. The vaccine is practically Russian: made in Belarus, but this is our "Sputnik V". I would simply not agree to another vaccine".

Our "Sputnik" is also not for everyone

However, the Russian "Sputnik" has its own problems - but only foreigners face them.

If a foreigner has installed Sputnik in Russia, this does not give him any rights and does not exempt him from quarantine upon arrival and from taking a PCR-test.

There are some nuances with QR-codes: foreigners are recommended to get a code on State Services, but registration there is available only to foreigners with SNILS, and obtaining SNILS has its own difficulties. For those who do not have SNILS, officials advise showing a certificate from a medical organization, but in fact, even at vaccination points, they may refuse to issue a certificate without SNILS. For the first time, foreigners encountered this back in the summer in Moscow, when QR codes were first introduced - but soon the third wave subsided, the question was rolled back, the codes were canceled, but the problem was not solved.

What does this mean in practice? A whole mountain of inconveniences for foreigners:

• 3-day quarantine and negative PCR at entry;
• Restriction in rights within the country, and soon, apparently, in freedom of movement in Russia;
• The need to take PCR tests every three days;
• Those who were vaccinated in other countries (even with Sputnik), in order to somehow legalize themselves, need to be revaccinated already in Russia - but even in this case, for a foreigner, getting a QR code can turn into a serious quest.

The law is illogical, the rules are confusing and unintuitive, there is no intelligible information, and a foreigner who is often vaccinated with Sputnik learns that he cannot fly to Russia, already at the airport, where he is simply not allowed to take the flight. So, I know of a case when a foreigner with a Russian residence permit, vaccinated in Russia by "Sputnik", could not fly out of Moldova. They refused to register him without a PCR test: it turned out that Russia does not recognize his vaccination - and all foreigners need PCR. He had to spend money on new tickets and an urgent test - and the express test cost him the ticket price, 8,000 rubles, because CIS citizens have to do tests only in special accredited laboratories, and there are few of them, and the prices are higher there.

Bureaucratic hell for millions of migrants

These are not just minor inconveniences that can be endured - they are significant additional costs, time consuming and endless bureaucratic hell. And this right now affects millions of people - migrants alone, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, there are now 7 million in the country. In total, about 5-6 million foreigners visit Russia in six months, that is, up to a million a month.

And there are no surprises in the fact that it happened that way. The question of legalizing the foreign "Sputnik" arose last winter - however, for almost a year, nothing has budged. And the question of QR codes for foreigners first arose back in June - and for six months there were also no changes.

Both the media and officials often talk about the upcoming mutual recognition of vaccines and covid passports with Europe - and it seems that this is the only thing that worries everyone. The issue of recognizing certificates from the EAEU remains on the periphery, there is little and rarely talk about this, and the decision is either endlessly “prepared” or “being worked out”, or non-binding appeals are heard, and this is where it all ends.

Especially shameful is Russia's non-recognition of "Sputnik" in the light of the fact that dozens of other countries recognize "Sputnik" - and with it you can get to Hungary, and Greece, and Georgia, and Turkey. And, of course, in those very Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, which are inoculated with the "Sputnik" not recognized in Russia.

And if the problems of Belarusian, Kazakh and Moldovan citizens did not particularly concern Russia, then there is a hope that now, when a European country drew attention to the same problem, something will budge - and at least Sputnik will be legalized. outside of Russia.

Maybe call Stalin?

Network analyst Andrey Nalgin was horrified after reading this report and commented on it as follows:

“That is, even if someone wanted to deliberately discredit the Russian vaccine, he would hardly be able to come up with something better to replace what has already been“ done ”by Russian officials:

- The certification process for Sputnik V in the EU was disrupted due to the fact that the responsible persons first delayed all the deadlines for providing the European regulator with the necessary information, and at the last moment sent the files to the wrong place: they “mixed up” the e-mails;

- the process of certification of "Sputnik V" WHO is on the verge of collapse due to the sluggishness of officials in providing answers to the identified shortcomings following the results of inspections of domestic vaccine manufacturing plants;

- Reputational costs from the non-recognition of vaccination certificates in Russia by the licensed Sputnik V abroad are growing every day, which, among other things, reduces the potential for further sale of licenses for its production, and this is also tens and hundreds of millions of dollars.

In short, the mind cannot understand Russia ...

But maybe it is not necessary?

Just looking at all this, unwillingly, even a liberal comes to the idea: maybe they shouldn’t have abandoned the Stalinist methods of cleaning up “pests” in the public service? "