RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Russia has been trying to get its coronavirus vaccine into Brazilian arms for months. But it’s repeatedly frustrated by legal, regulatory and possibly even diplomatic obstacles. That’s begun to change. Brazil has received little vaccine help from the U.S., which has been struggling with its own outbreak. So Russia’s Sputnik V seemed as good as any. Brazil’s federal government and a group of states have signed deals for 47 million doses. The growing adoption reflects Russia gaining a greater foothold in the region the U.S. has traditionally viewed as within its sphere of influence. The American government earlier boasted of steering Brazil away from Russian vaccines.
