Russia struggles to meet global orders for Sputnik V vaccine

By REGINA GARCIA CANO, DARIA LITVINOVA and JUAN PABLO ARRAEZ
Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Millions from Latin America to the Middle East are waiting for promised doses of the Russian-made Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine due to manufacturing problems and other issues. Moscow aggressively marketed Sputnik after wealthy nations kept supplies of Western-developed vaccines for themselves. But one estimate says Russia has exported only 4.8% of the roughly 1 billion doses that were promised. Venezuela ordered 10 million doses in December 2020 but has gotten slightly less than 4 million. Argentina got its first shipment Dec. 25 but it is still waiting for many of the 20 million it bought. The head of the Russian state fund that bankrolls the vaccine insists the supply problems are resolved.