Russia President on Tuesday announced that the country has developed the first coronavirus vaccine, news agency AFP reported. Putin claimed that the vaccine offers “sustainable immunity” against COVID-19.

“This morning, for the first time in the world, a vaccine against the new coronavirus was registered” in Russia, he  said during a televised video conference call with government ministers.

The President also said that his daughter has been inoculated with the new vaccine. “One of my daughters had this vaccine. I think in this sense she took part in the experiment,” Putin said.

Russia has been pushing hard to quickly develop a coronavirus vaccine and said earlier this month it hoped to launch mass production within weeks and turn out “several million” doses per month by next year.

The World Health Organization last week urged Russia to follow established guidelines and go “through all the stages” necessary to develop a safe vaccine. 

The pandemic has seen an unprecedented mobilisation of funding and research to rush through a vaccine that can protect billions of people worldwide.