Russian military claims Covid-19 vaccine 'ready' even before key trials

In a sensational claim, the Russian military has said it is ready with its experimental coronavirus vaccine, which is yet to even finish Phase II trial and the all-critical Phase III one, The Moscow Times reported on Tuesday.

Last week, the Russian Defence Ministry had claimed that it has developed a "safe" adenoviral vector-based vaccine, following clinical trials on a group of volunteers.

According to the new report, First Deputy Defence Minister Ruslan Tsalikov told the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper that military experts and scientists at the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology have made "final assessments".

"At the time of discharge,