Russia has started mass production of the world's first COVID-19 vaccine for animals Carnivac-Cov, according to a Friday announcement by agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor.

The first batch of 17,000 doses has been produced at Rosselkhoznadzor's subordinate institution, the Federal Center for Animal Health, the watchdog said in a statement.

There is great domestic demand for the vaccine and the first batch of doses will be distributed within the country, it said, adding that foreign companies have also shown interest in it.

The production capacity is 3 million doses per month now and will hopefully increase to 5 million in the near future, local media reported, citing an adviser to the head of Rosselkhoznadzor.

Russia is negotiating for the swift registration of the vaccine abroad, particularly in the European Union.

Rosselkhoznadzor announced on March 31 that the country had registered the Carnivac-Cov vaccine.