That decision was based on peer reviewed late stage trial results published in The Lancet International Medical Journal.

British experts were among those who looked at the data collated by the Gamma Leah Institute in Moscow.

They agreed it meant the world had another effective weapon to fight the deadly pandemic.

Their conclusions appear to justify to some extent Russia's decision to roll out the vaccine before final data had been released.

Moscow approved the vaccine in August before the large scale trial had begun, saying it was the first country to do so for a covert 19 shot.