Oooo I have some things to add. What russia has done vaccine wise is create a viral vector vaccine. Without getting into too much science mumbo jumbo, viral vector vaccines have limited efficacy but are typically the least toxic and dangerous types of vaccine. They inject you with mild adenoviruses (common cold) but attach the spike protein so antibodies get in your genes and sort of prepare your body to fight a virus. Not to say that it's a vaccine in the conventional sense, but viral vector is kind of the classic approach to making the most safe type of vaccine. Think flu shot. We have a ton of experience as a world with lowering viral vectors and it stands to reason it would lower people's chance of infection some amount without harming them. But just how much Rona it would prevent and just what side effects it carries is a virtual unknown.

They did not complete a phase 3 trial...period. There are currently 6 american vaccines that have passed the first 2 phases of clinical trial (including 2 viral vectors of our own), and are in phase 3 human trials. In other words, scientifically speaking, this vaccine is behind those. They've just opted to skip testing it for side effects and how well it works because it's the safest vaccine type and probably won't hurt much, but who knows if it will help? And the key word is probably there too. Without data, who knows? It could be toxic or carcinogenic and we just wont know until they take it and we find out.

It's a strong play to invest in the safest type of vax and release it immediately on finishing it with no testing data. That could go just about every way imaginable. Fortunately it's a viral vector so it's just more likely that it works a small percentage of the time and has extremely limited side effects. In other words, I think Putin is right. It's sorta the lowest risk move he could make to get something out first. Its irresponsible as hell but it's like the lowest form of optimism maybe killing people. Hopefully it doesn't backfire. Without phase 3 trials, there's no real way of knowing how it will go. But it's one of those things where theres a 50% chance ish it will lower cases and 5-15% chance it will carry major side effects. Anything I've ever learned about Putin tells me he will take those odds. I'd just rather my local leadership didn't. I'd rather not be placing bets on whether it will work and side effects when I go get a vax myself. But I also understand the urgency and why this move was made.