Russia denies stealing data of Oxford research for virus vaccine

Moscow: Russia has denied hacking Oxford University’s Covid-19 data as they have signed a deal with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and the college to produce a vaccine, foreign media reported.

Moscow’s sovereign wealth fund publicly announced details of the agreement after the Kremlin was accused of engaging in cyber espionage.

Britain, Canada and the United States said on Thursday that hackers backed by the Russian state were trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions around the world - allegations the Kremlin denied.

Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), said in an interview on Friday that Moscow did not need to steal secrets as it already had a deal with AstraZeneca to manufacture the potential British vaccine in Russia.