Russian President Vladimir Putin has slammed the ban on Russian COVID-19 vaccines imposed by some countries despite the shots proving their efficacy, stressing that such restrictions are absurd and politically motivated.

Putin made the remarks in a speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday.

"Let me remind you that the Russian vaccine is recognized as the safest and most effective. The effectiveness is over 96 percent. And according to our regulatory authorities, there are no deaths from the use of the vaccine," Putin said as quoted by the Russian news agency Sputnik.