June 30, 2021

Nice and Refreshing


Nice and Refreshing
Same great taste, with half the calories. RIA Novosti

Did your COVID vaccine cause you to gain some unwanted weight?  Feeling sluggish after your shot? Not able to hang out with the boys like you used to? Fortunately, Russia's Ministry of Health has you covered.

Introducing "Sputnik Light," a less-potent version of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19. This COVID countermeasure finished testing in late June and is set to hit the civilian market later this summer.

While the name sounds like a patriotic Soviet lager– I'd go for an ice-cold Sputnik Light at a backyard barbecue – all jokes aside, Sputnik Light is intended for use among individuals with autoimmune diseases, compromised immune systems, and those needing re-vaccination. 2.5 million doses are ready to be used, with more on the way. 

This background, however, does little to clarify why it was dubbed "Light," spelled phonetically in Cyrillic (so it would sound something like "lah-eet"). Our only guess is that the temptation for Corona-related wordplay was simply too great.

You Might Also Like

Sputnik V: First Place or Long Shot?
  • March 01, 2021

Sputnik V: First Place or Long Shot?

The Russia vaccine seems top-notch, but low public trust and a botched rollout remain formidable barriers to returning to normalcy.
Thanks, Doc
  • February 10, 2021

Thanks, Doc

Moscovites are thanking medical professionals during the Coronavirus pandemic the best way they know how to: colorful Metro trains.
Party Like It's Belarus
  • January 06, 2021

Party Like It's Belarus

The president of Russia's neighbor Belarus ended 2020 the same way he started it: in denial over the coronavirus pandemic.
Vodka vs. Coronavirus
  • March 20, 2020

Vodka vs. Coronavirus

Russia’s Ministry of Health discussed ways vodka can affect the coronavirus (spoiler alert: not much).
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955