Russia sold its Sputnik V clot shot through UAE company associated with royal family - investigation
The Russian coronavirus vaccine "Sputnik V" was sold to Lebanon, Pakistan, Ghana and Guyana through a company from Dubai, intermediaries several times overestimated the official cost of the vaccine. This is stated in the investigation of The Moscow Times, which was published on July 10.
Sputnik V was sold by Aurugulf Health Investments. It was created at the end of 2020, its leadership is connected by the UAE royal family.
According to journalists, the Russian Direct Investment Fund gave the company exclusive rights to sell the vaccine around the world. Sheikh Ahmed Dalmuk al-Maktoum, one of the members of the royal family, acts as the main partner in the transactions, the publication noted.
The Norwegian publication VG first wrote about the relations between Russia and the UAE on the sale of the Sputnik V vaccine in developing countries in an investigation published on June 3 this year. It referred to the delivery of 3.4 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine to Accra, the capital of Ghana.
The Moscow Times confirmed the involvement of the Dubai firm in the supply of Sputnik V to at least the four above-mentioned countries and possibly to South Africa, Indonesia and Kenya.
Aurugulf Health Investments has concluded contracts providing for the cost of one component of the vaccine from $19 to $24. The Government of the Russian Federation announced the cost of the dose of the drug at $9.95. At this price, the vaccine was sold to Hungary and Slovakia.
Information about the inflated cost of purchasing the drug "Sputnik V" caused outrage among opposition politicians in the countries where the company from Dubai sold it, writes The Moscow Times.
The authorities of Ghana and Guyana said they tried to negotiate directly with the Russian government, but they were sent to Aurugulf Health Investments. Some countries complained about Russia's failure to comply with its obligations to supply the vaccine.
Lebanon ordered 1 million doses of Russian vaccine by the end of August, but eventually received about 80 thousand.
Analytical company Airfinity reported that Russia has exported 22 million doses of vaccine since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the investigation says.