The SBU Security Service of Ukraine is probing into the importation and use of poisonous or potent drugs in Ukraine under the guise of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine.
This is reported by the Suspilne.Media outlet with reference to the SBU's press center.
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"As of now, it is known that a group of persons – by prior conspiracy, in violation of the established rules – purchased, transported, stored, and sold poisonous or potent drugs under the guise of a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer," the agency said.
Criminal proceedings on the fact began on January 6 under Part 3 of Article 321 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
As part of the investigation, the circumstances of the vaccination of individual citizens both in medical and other institutions are being checked.
Secret vaccination against coronavirus in Ukraine
- Earlier, the media reported that some Members of Parliament and officials had secretly been vaccinated against COVID-19 with a Pfizer vaccine that was allegedly brought to Ukraine from Israel illegally.
- Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal instructed the Health and Interior Ministries to check reports on secret vaccination of lawmakers with pharmaceutical preparations of unknown origin.
On January 6, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said that the first batch of 8 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine as part of the global COVAX facility was expected to arrive in Ukraine at the end of the first quarter or the beginning of the second quarter of 2021.
Meanwhile, Ukraine could get the first 700,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine out of 1.9 million from China's Sinovac in February this year.
