- Dmitry Morozov of pharmaceutical Biocad is the oligarch behind Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine.
- Sputnik V is now being rolled out worldwide, with plans to use it in one in 10 global vaccinations.
- However, it faces hurdles in the EU and US as well as Russia with reluctance and supply bottlenecks.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
In Russia, the name Sputnik is associated with innovation, progress, and one of the greatest successes in Soviet history.
When Sputnik 1 became the first human object to reach Earth's orbit in 1957, Americans watched in amazement.
Over 60 years later, Sputnik is taking the world by storm again, this time as Russia's flagship COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V.
Mass production started in September and, despite Russians initially being divided about its potential efficacy, it's now been rolled out across the country.
Russia's vaccine is set to go global, with plans for Sputnik V to be used in one in 10 vaccinations worldwide and particularly in Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
Vladimir Putin was vaccinated against Covid-19 with Sputnik V, partly to coax those Russians who remain hesitant to go and get the jab.
Dmitry Morozov, an elusive oligarch who heads pharmaceutical company Biocad, is the man behind Sputnik V.
The pharmaceutical company behind the vaccine
Sputnik V is still viewed with a fair degree of skepticism especially in the EU and the US.
Earlier this month, a top official of the European Medicines Agency said approving the vaccine too early would be "somewhat comparable to Russian roulette."
The vaccine's official Twitter account then demanded a public apology, saying the official's comments "raise serious questions about possible political interference in the ongoing EMA review."
—Sputnik V (@sputnikvaccine) March 8, 2021
