According to The Moscow Times, the Defense Ministry, which says it has worked with government researchers to develop the vector vaccine, on Monday released the last group of volunteer soldiers testing the experimental shot in its Phase I trials. First Deputy Defense Minister Ruslan Tsalikov told the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper that military experts and the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology scientists have made “final assessments”

At the time of discharge, all volunteers without exception developed immunity against the coronavirus.

“Thus, the first domestic vaccine against the novel coronavirus infection is ready,” Tsalikov said.

Russia’s Health Ministry disputed the Deputy Defense Minister’s characterization, saying the vaccine's trials have not yet ended.

Alexei Kuznetsov, Assistant to the Health Minister, said the ministry plans to work on the candidate vaccine’s state registration process after Phase II of the trials.

Kirill Dmitriyev, whose Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) funds the trials, has said he expects the 100-person Phase II trial to end Aug. 3.

Dmitriyev said he hopes to produce 200 million doses of coronavirus vaccine with foreign partners by the end of 2020. He said Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and other countries would be involved in Phase III trials.

“Immediately after that we are planning to begin mass production,” Dmitriyev said in a statement on Russia’s state anti-coronavirus portal.

The vaccine is based on human adenovirus, a common cold. Dmitriyev said the adenoviral vector-based vaccines had been developed since the 1980s and are generally safe.