Vietnam’s COVID-19 combat highlighted on Russia’s popular talk show

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s outcomes in curbing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus were lauded by the Star TV channel run by the Russian Ministry of Defence.

A popular talk show titled “Open Talk” aired on the channel on April 22 ran a number of short video clips featuring Vietnam’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic for nearly 15 minutes late in the programme.

During the show, the hosts and guests expressed their admiration and surprise at Vietnam’s achievements in the fight against COVID-19. Such words like “surprising” or “wonderful” were heard repeatedly during the screening.

The show also interviewed a Russian national in Hanoi. He said he had strictly followed Hanoi’s social distancing order, and was staying at home most of the time, except for going out for essential services. If he has to go out, he always wears a face mask, just like all other bus passengers in Hanoi.

The ten guests of the show, including renowned journalists, film producers and military experts, were very interested in how a developing nation has been able to control the pandemic so well, and become one of the least-affected countries in the world.

They also expressed their admiration for the low number of COVID-19 cases in Vietnam out of its 96 million people.

Likewise, the news website Rusvesna (Russia Spring) on April 19 published an article titled “Vietnam’s miracle - how a brave nation defeats terrible pandemic".

The article affirmed that Vietnam was one of the world's most successful examples in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.


To date, Vietnam has recorded a total of 268 COVID-19 cases with 224 patients making a full recovery, accounting for 84 percent. Since the first case was confirmed in the country three months ago, no deaths from the disease have been recorded.

There have been no new COVID-19 cases detected in Vietnam for the past eight days.

Also on April 22, the Ministries of Defence in Vietnam and Russia held an online meeting on cooperating to fight COVID-19.

The discussion was co-chaired by Major General Nguyen Xuan Kien, Head of the Military Medical Department at the General Department of Logistics, and Major General Evgenii Kriukov, Director of the N.N.Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital.

The two sides highlighted the role of the international community in fighting COVID-19 in recent times.

The Vietnamese side briefed its Russian counterpart on the situation in the country and affirmed the determination of the Government and the Vietnam People’s Army to beat the coronavirus.

It also suggested enhancing the defence partnership and international cooperation, especially in military medicine and disease prevention.

The Russian side, meanwhile, said it highly appreciates the proactiveness of the Vietnam People’s Army in the fight against COVID-19 by controlling land border gates, researching a test kit, and managing the quarantining of suspected cases.

Both agreed to maintain the sharing of experience online and promoting cooperation in fields of mutual concern, such as exchanging experts in biomedical technology, supplying medical equipment to prevent diseases, providing pharmaceuticals, and enhancing collaboration between research institutions.

Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence earlier presented medical supplies for fighting COVID-19 to the Embassy of Russia in Vietnam.

One day earlier, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin looked into the two countries’ cooperation amid the COVID-19 pandemic during their phone talks.

PM Phuc affirmed that Vietnam always supports and stands side by side with Russia in the battle against COVID-19.

In response, the Russian PM highly valued what the Southeast Asian nation has achieved in controlling the disease and thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for assisting his country with 150,000 antibacterial cloth masks.

The two leaders agreed to strengthen their countries’ cooperation within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership, as well as in the COVID-19 prevention and control such as exchanging biomedical experts and working together in the provision of medical supplies./.