Russia Says Its Diplomats Vaccinated With Russian Shot Face Discrimination in Some States

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian diplomats who are vaccinated with Russian coronavirus vaccine face discrimination in some countries, the country's foreign ministry told Sputnik.

"Regarding this, we would like to note that the governments of some foreign countries introduced travel rules during quarantine that complicate the work of Russian diplomatic offices abroad and put staff at our missions at a disadvantage," the ministry said.

This can be seen as "de facto discrimination of [Russian] diplomats and their families who are vaccinated with Russian coronavirus vaccines," the ministry said. They face restrictions in their work and daily life because they cannot get access to special passes.

Only a few foreign diplomats, who vaccinated with uncertified shots, failed to get a QR code in Russia, but all of these situations are being reviewed on a case-by-case basis, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry and the government of Moscow are running a long-term program that gives all diplomats access to Russia's Sputnik V and Sputnik Light, the ministry said.

"All participants in this program receive certificates that can be then converted into a QR code," the ministry said, adding that Russians employed by foreign diplomatic missions had access to Russian vaccines.

"As for the rather small group of foreign diplomats who received a shot of vaccines that are not certified in Russia, their QR code requests are being considered separately. The work on this is ongoing," the ministry said.

Recent media reports suggested that foreign diplomats who were vaccinated with shots that are not certified in Russia failed to obtain QR codes that are needed to access some public places, despite sending a request to the Russian Foreign Ministry. Russian diplomats abroad have faced similar issues, the ministry has noted.