At the talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, Kazakhstan’s first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, thanked him for the support of his country during the pandemic and the provision of vaccines.
"I have sincerely wanted to thank you in person for Russia’s support of Kazakhstan during the pandemic - with vaccines, medicines, and so on. Do you remember, when we went to an exhibition in St. Petersburg and then we looked and agreed on a joint venture? Now that company in Karaganda produces the Russian vaccine, of the same quality and in large quantities," Nazarbayev told Putin.
Nazarbayev pointed out that, when he came down with coronavirus, a team of Russian doctors treated him, TASS reported.
"I will never forget lots of things - when I got sick, a group of Russian doctors stayed by my side for ten days. It was crucial for my recovery. It is not forgotten," he explained.
On June 25, Kazakhstan's first president received the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Karaganda pharmaceutical plant. On June 18, 2020, Nazarbayev’s press service reported that he had tested positive for coronavirus, so he self-isolated and switched to working online. On July 2, 2020, he was reported to have recovered from COVID-19.
