Russia stole blueprint for Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to make Sputnik V, allege sources

Previously, MI5 operatives have stated that multiple cyber strikes on Oxford University were attempted by Russian hackers on March 2020. This was a month after British scientists revealed they had begun researching a vaccine. 

In a sensational claim, Russia has been accused of using spies to steal the blueprint for the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus and utilising it to prepare their own Sputnik V vaccine and win the race to make world's first effective coronavirus vaccine.

Security services in the UK have allegedly told ministers that they have evidence now that an agent stole vital information from the pharmaceutical company, including the blueprint, reported The Sun. As per media reports, UK Security Minister Damian Hinds declined to corroborate the claims, but admitted that cyber assaults were growing more sophisticated. 

Security sources have said a spy of Moscow in the UK physically obtained the confidential design – but it's not clear if what was stolen was a paper from the pharma giant's lab or factory, or whether a vial of the final drug was somehow taken out of the UK to do research.