Russian President Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir PutinFlash 90

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued instructions that a mass vaccination for the coronavirus be undertaken beginning next week, Russia Today reported.

“Let's agree on this - you will not report to me next week, but you will start mass vaccination ... let's get to work already,” Putin told Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova.

Last month, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) announced that Sputnik V, the world’s first registered vaccine against the coronavirus, has shown results even better than those claimed by Pfizer.

Russia has long touted its coronavirus vaccine, but the World Health Organization has urged caution regarding the Russian vaccine.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced last Friday that Russia had begun a mass vaccination campaign to inoculate its armed forces against the coronavirus.