Russian researcher who helped develop Sputnik vaccine against covid murdered

A Russian researcher who helped develop the Sputnik V anti-covid vaccine was killed yesterday in his apartment in Moscow by a young man who has already been detained, Russian media reported on Friday.

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According to police sources quoted by the official TASS agency, The victim is Andrei Botikov, a researcher at the Gamaleya National Center, developer of the Sputik V vaccine against covid-19.

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Botikov was the co-author of the vaccine’s patent and received an award from Russian President Vladimir Putin for his work, according to the RIA Novosti news agency.

The department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the city of Moscow has opened a criminal case for murder.

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According to investigators, on March 2, in an apartment in a building in northwest Moscow, a 29-year-old man strangled the owner of the apartment, Botikov, with a belt during an argument, and fled.

However, after a short time the alleged perpetrator of the murder was arrested. During interrogation he pleaded guilty and was formally charged.

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According to TASS, the defendant has a criminal record, since he was tried for the commission of a serious crime.

EFE