Russia is one of the countries with the lowest vaccination rates and highest Covid-19 death rates in the world. With just over 30 percent of the population vaccinated, the Russian authorities' vaccination campaign has been deemed a fiasco. And yet when Vladimir Putin announced the launch of the Sputnik V vaccine in summer 2020, it was supposed to "save humanity from Covid". More than a year later, the jab has still not arrived on the European market and the majority of Russians do not trust it.
To tackle the health disaster, the authorities have announced a ban on train and air travel by unvaccinated travellers from February 1, 2022. But this measure is unlikely to overcome the low levels of trust Russians have in their leaders. Our correspondents report.
Programme prepared by Jennie Shin.
Programme first broadcast on November 22.
