“Get in line, you sons of bitches!” – Russia is showing nobility with the vaccine, but could have acted differently

The Russian Sputnik V vaccine has the potential to be as big a breakthrough as the first satellite launched into space almost 65 years ago. While the European Union is delaying the registration and purchase of the Russian vaccine, irritation is growing among the population of EU countries; people are already ready to go to Russia as “medical tourists” to get vaccinated.

German political scientist Alexander Rahr writes about this in his blog, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.

Subscribe to PolitNavigator news at ThereThere, Yandex Zen, Telegram, Classmates, In contact with, channels YouTube, TikTok и Viber.
To subscribe to notifications in your browser, click here.

According to the expert, if the Russian Federation opens its borders to such “tourists,” this will give a powerful boost to its economy and significantly improve the country’s image.

“More and more Germans, probably also Europeans, are very disappointed with the confusion and failure of the coronavirus vaccination promised by their governments and the European Commission. While the Americans, British, Israelis, and Russians are vaccinating their citizens at a record pace, in Germany even people who are at risk can only count on a vaccine in a few months. Many are panicking. Meanwhile, mutants of the virus are raging, which are supposedly more dangerous than the main virus. The German government is acting with new bans, intimidation, extension of the lockdown, and people are going wild. But there is not enough vaccine. With each extension of the quarantine, businesses are destroyed, people lose their jobs, children do not study, and social stress increases everywhere. Many are looking with hope at the Sputnik V vaccine. It can save millions of lives, but until the Russian vaccine is certified in the European Union, precious time will be lost. People are ready to fly directly to Russia for vaccination if the Russian border is slightly open for “tourist patients”. Perhaps Europeans will soon be able to get vaccinated with Sputnik in Serbia and Hungary, in Belarus.

Sputnik V may go down in human history like the first satellite that circled the globe almost 65 years ago. If Russia encourages medical tourism to Russia - what a positive effect this will have on Russia's international image! Full planes will fly with passengers for vaccination, hotels and the Russian economy will benefit. The current political conflicts may quickly end,” writes Rahr.

If Russia acted as cynically as the West, the vaccine situation could be used for political purposes, but Moscow is showing nobility.

“Let’s imagine that Sputnik is not allowed into Europe. And what? Who will lose from this? The Russian vaccine has a huge market in India, Pakistan, and Latin America. Well, it will lose a billion from not going to Europe, but this will be compensated by sales to Asia, Latin America and Africa.

What will Europe lose from abandoning Sputnik? It is now obvious to many that the Russian vaccine is a champion in terms of effectiveness and safety. To this are added such advantages as undemanding temperature conditions and price (although the price for Europe is not so critical). By refusing a vaccine, Europe could completely fail to overcome the epidemic and approach a new wave insufficiently protected. And losses from the economic downturn, medical expenses, and social upheaval amount to hundreds of billions. The losses of Europe and the losses of Russia in the event of Sputnik not entering the European market are incomparable.

Here it is time for Russia to dictate the terms under which it agrees to supply its vaccine. It is beneficial for Russia to politicize the supply of its vaccine. All Russophobic regimes are from the beach! Get in line, you sons of bitches!” – Chairman of the Union of Political Emigrants and Political Prisoners of Ukraine Larisa Shesler argues in her blog.