Moscow, Mar 28 (IANS): Russian President Vladimir Putin expects that the country will achieve herd immunity against Covid-19 by the end of summer.

Putin made the assertion that "this will happen" during a TV interview programme while answering a question when the pandemic restrictions in Russia could be lifted and the country would return to a normal life, TASS news agency reported on Sunday.

During the programme on Russia's state-run Rossiya-1 TV channel, Putin suggested people "listen to specialists" who say that restrictions could be lifted "after herd immunity is developed."

"In order to make this happen, some 70 per cent of adult population should get the jab. If (mass vaccination) goes at the same pace as now, I believe that in summer, by the end of summer we will achieve, we should achieve this figure," the President stressed.

Three vaccines against Covid-19 have been registered in Russia. The first vaccine registered in the country and in the world is Sputnik V, developed by the Gamaleya Center of Russia's Health Ministry. It was certified on August 11, 2020.

EpiVacCorona by the Vector State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology of the consumer rights watchdog was registered in October 2020.

The third vaccine CoviVac by the Russian Academy of Sciences' Chumakov Centre was authorised by the Health Ministry in February.

Russia launched mass vaccination against Covid-19 in January 2021. According to the latest data, more than 6 million Russians have received one vaccine dose and more than 4 million of them have taken two doses.