Russia has come through the coronavirus pandemic with far fewer infections and deaths than many other European countries, President Vladimir Putin said while visiting Moscow-annexed Crimea, according to AFP.

“So far we are managing to turn this difficult page with minimal losses,” Putin told hard-hatted workers at a shipyard in the city of Kerch.

“The situation is improving,” he said, while noting other countries are seeing a “flare-up” in cases. The workers and Putin were not wearing face masks.