In the previous 24 hours, Russia has recorded a record number of new coronavirus infections, with 34,303 cases reported, the largest number since the epidemic began.

Compared to last month's total of 20,174, this is an increase of more than 70%.

Meanwhile, Russia's number of COVID deaths per day stayed at 997, just five less than the previous day's high of 1,002.

The coronavirus taskforce in the country has recorded about eight million confirmed cases and 223,312 deaths, the highest figure in Europe.

The rapid surge of COVID-19 infections and deaths in Russia is being blamed on a poor vaccination implementation, prompting the health ministry to call retired, vaccinated doctors to return to hospitals.

Lotteries, bonuses, and other incentives have been used to try to speed up the injection process. Still, widespread skepticism regarding the injections, as well as contradicting messages from officials, have impeded attempts.

Last week, the government announced that about 43 million Russians, or 29% of the population, had received their full vaccination.

Despite the rise in cases and deaths, the Kremlin has ruled out a fresh statewide lockdown, similar to the one that rocked the economy and hurt President Vladimir Putin's popularity early in the outbreak.

Instead, it has given regional authorities the authority to implement coronavirus prohibitions.

Some of Russia's 85 regions have restricted entrance to theatres, restaurants, other places, and attendance at large public events.

However, in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and many other Russian cities, daily life is a little unaffected.

Most cases are seen in urbanized areas of western Russia and along the Pacific Coast in places like Vladivostok and Khabarovsk.

However, significant case rates of more than 150 infections per 100,000 persons have been reported in the sparsely inhabited Siberian regions of Sakha and Chukotka in the far northeast.

According to official records, Russia ranks fifth in the world regarding pandemic deaths, trailing only the United States, Brazil, India, and Mexico.

However, the official statistics office Rosstat has recorded a far larger number of fatalities - around 418,000 - in cases where the virus was not the primary cause of death.

Based on this, Russia would be the world's fourth-worst-affected country, ahead of Mexico.