Russia sends Laos 30,000 doses of Sputnik Light vaccine

MOSCOW. Oct 6 (Interfax) - Russia handed over humanitarian aid to Laos in the form of coronavirus vaccines at a ceremony in Vientiane on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its website.

"A total of 30,000 doses of the Sputnik Light vaccine for the prevention of the novel coronavirus diseases were sent at the decision of the government of the Russian Federation following the Lao leadership's request for assistance amid the deteriorating sanitary-epidemiological situation in that country," the Foreign Ministry said.

The aid was delivered by a Russian Emergency Situations Ministry aircraft, the ministry said.

"At the event, Lao Health Minister [Bounfeng] Phoummalaysith expressed sincere gratitude to Russia for the valuable and timely support," it said.

The minister also said that the delivery of the aid was "yet more proof of the traditionally friendly nature of the relations between two states," the ministry said.