The spread of the coronavirus infection is under control. The situation is difficult, but manageable.
Analyse
At the time of Mishustin’s statement (April 2020), Russia’s official COVID-19 case count was rising exponentially—from ~10,000 cases in early April to over **100,000 by May 1**, per WHO data. Independent analyses (e.g., *The Lancet*, *Financial Times*) suggested **underreporting due to limited testing** and exclusion of asymptomatic cases. While 'manageable' could refer to healthcare capacity, hospitals in Moscow and regions like Dagestan were **already overwhelmed**, contradicting the claim of full control. The government’s own later admissions (e.g., excess mortality data) further undermined the assertion.
Achtergrond
Russia’s initial COVID-19 response included strict lockdowns (late March 2020) and mass disinformation campaigns downplaying the crisis. By April, **official narratives clashed with anecdotal reports** of overcrowded morgues and PPE shortages. Mishustin himself tested positive for COVID-19 on **April 30, 2020**, just weeks after his statement, highlighting the virus’s unchecked spread among officials.
Samenvatting verdict
Mishustin’s claim that COVID-19 was *'under control'* in Russia as of April 2020 was overly optimistic, as evidence showed rapid case growth, underreporting, and insufficient testing at the time.
Geraadpleegde bronnen
— World Health Organization (WHO). (2020). *COVID-19 Situation Reports* (April 2020). [https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports)
— The Lancet. (2020). *Russia’s COVID-19 case fatality rate: Too good to be true?* [https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31884-2/fulltext](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31884-2/fulltext)
— Financial Times. (2020). *Russia’s coronavirus death toll far higher than official count.* [https://www.ft.com/content/6bd8f41a-9d86-45d0-8f7a-0f9dc7208d15](https://www.ft.com/content/6bd8f41a-9d86-45d0-8f7a-0f9dc7208d15)
— Meduza. (2020). *‘The bodies are piling up’: How Russia’s regions are hiding the true scale of the coronavirus outbreak.* [https://meduza.io/en/feature/2020/05/01/the-bodies-are-piling-up](https://meduza.io/en/feature/2020/05/01/the-bodies-are-piling-up)
— Russian Government. (2020). *Prime Minister Mishustin tests positive for COVID-19* (April 30, 2020). [http://government.ru/news/39636/](http://government.ru/news/39636/)