The right to cheat: a black market for vaccination certificates expands in Russia

The topic of vaccination has become the main topic in the Russian media and social networks in recent days. It's no secret that its rates are depressingly low: as of June 17, 2021, only 14.595 million people received both components of the vaccine, that is, 9.98% of the country's population, and the first component - another 19.109 million - 13.07%. Whereas in the developed countries of the world the number of vaccinated persons exceeded 50%, and in many even 60-70%,

The popular Telegram channel "Nezygar" adds to this gloomy fact another equally sad one: the picture of vaccination is also distorted by the functioning of the "black market" of vaccination certificates. There is demand - there is supply.

“The service is paid - depending on the region and the conditions of the“ provider ”prices fluctuate in the range of 3-20 thousand. For this amount, it is guaranteed (and, as it turned out, is being carried out) by the medical workers of the necessary data in the personal page of the customer on the website gosuslugi.ru.

“From the doctors' point of view, the procedure looks exactly like a real vaccination. But without a patient. In this case, the ampoule is disposed of as if the vaccination had been carried out. “It is opened, poured out, it’s just, if suddenly what kind of check will be, it’s difficult to explain where dozens of extra vials came from with the vaccine”, - explains investigative journalist Andrey Kagansky.

Vaccinations in Russia are free of charge, although the selling price of a two-component vaccine kit to health care institutions was 1,942 rubles.

That is, the "black market" of vaccination certificates parasitizes the state program to combat COVID-19 and is a form of misappropriation of budget funds by officials.

Such activities fall immediately under several articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, but law enforcement agencies are still not very active.

Among other things, "providers" receive from the customers of such a service all passport data and SNILS numbers, which they can use for additional illegal profit - at least through the sale of their accumulated databases, not to mention more serious crimes.

The epidemiological consequences of the emergence and growth in our country of the stratum of "falsely vaccinated" are also understandable.

This criminal machine is spinning, one might say, in front of everyone, and even with positive feedback: if there is supply, demand is needed. And the Russian media space, from social networks to the media, is full of reports about the shortcomings of domestic vaccines: incomplete clinical trials, side and delayed effects, inefficiency, etc. - not to mention the frankly conspiracy theories about "chipping" and "zombifying" Russian citizens under the guise of being vaccinated against coronavirus infection.

The combination of these circumstances, as well as the pandemic itself, the situation around which is increasingly being used as a geopolitical weapon, including the rate of vaccination, suggests that the “black market” of certificates is actively supported and stimulated not only and not so much by criminals. But also specialists in "organizational weapons", "hybrid wars" and "color revolutions".