For the third day in a row, Russia reported the highest number of coronavirus deaths, while infections are rising due to the new Delta strain of the virus and vaccination is progressing slowly.

The government reported 867 deaths in the last 24 hours and 23,888 new cases. The new numbers bring the country's total mortality from COVID-19 to 207,255 - the highest in Europe.

Independent experts have accused authorities of downplaying the pandemic.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the vaccination rate in Russia was "still insufficient."

"We need to continue to explain more actively that the only thing that saves lives is the vaccine," Peskov said.

The fifth most affected country in the world with more than seven million infections - in Russia there has been an increase in cases in the last month, and at the same time the vaccination campaign doesn’t move. Moscow, which is the epicenter of the new cases, has experienced a recent spike in cases, with authorities warning of an increase in hospital admissions.

Moscow and a number of other regions introduced compulsory vaccination in the summer, but the effect is not noticeable.

As of today, just under 29 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated, according to a website that reports coronavirus data from the regions.

/BNT