U.S. officials said the Russians, through intelligence agencies, have launched a campaign to undermine confidence in COVID vaccines, such as Pfizer Inc. s and other Western vaccines.
The campaign includes the use of online publications that have questioned the vaccines development and safety in recent months, according to U.S. officials.
One official of the State Department s Global Engagement Center official identified four publications that have served as fronts for Russian intelligence agencies, Wallstreet Journal reported.
The websites pressed the vaccines risk of side effects, questioned their efficacy, and further claimed that the U.S. had rushed the Pfizer vaccine through the approval process, among other false claims.