Russian scientists published the first report on a coronavirus vaccine, saying early tests showed signs of an immune response.
The report, published in the medical journal The Lancet, said each participant developed antibodies to fight the virus and had no serious side effects.
Russia licensed the vaccine for domestic use in August, the first country to do so, and before the data was released.
Experts say the trials were too small to prove efficacy and safety.
But Moscow hailed the results as a response to critics. Some Western experts have raised concerns about the speed of Russian action, indicating that researchers may block the way.
Last month, President Vladimir Putin said that the vaccine had passed all required checks and that one of his daughters had been administered to him.
What does the report say?
The Lancet reported that two trials of a vaccine, called Sputnik-V, were conducted between June and July. Each involved 38 healthy volunteers who were given a dose of vaccine and then a booster vaccine three weeks later.
The participants - ages 18 to 60 - were monitored for 42 days and all developed antibodies within three weeks. Among the most common side effects are headache and joint pain.
The trials were open-label and not randomized, meaning there was no placebo and the volunteers were aware that they were receiving the vaccine.
The report said: "Large and long-term trials, including a placebo comparison and more monitoring, are needed to prove the long-term safety and efficacy of the vaccine to prevent Covid-19 infection."
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The third phase of the experiments will involve 40,000 volunteers from "different age groups and risks," according to the newspaper.
The Russian vaccine uses modified strains of the adenovirus, which is the virus that usually causes the common cold, to stimulate the immune response.
There is still a long way to go
Written by Philippa Roxby, BBC Health Reporter
Some reactions from scientists in the UK are "encouraging" and "so far very good" - but clearly there is still a long way to go. Although the vaccine showed an antibody response in all of the second stage participants, this does not necessarily mean that it will protect them from the virus. That has not yet been established.
From these results we can say that the vaccine appeared safe in healthy people between the ages of 18 and 60 for a period of 42 days, because that was how long the study took. But what about the elderly and those with underlying health conditions who are most at risk of contracting Covid-19 - how safe is it for them and over a longer period of time?
This can only be answered after much larger, long-term randomized trials in which the people involved do not know whether they are receiving the vaccine or a placebo. These will also tell scientists how effective the vaccine really is among a wider population.
There were also calls for openness and transparency. Of the many vaccines currently being tried around the world, some will work better than others, in certain situations and in certain groups of people, perhaps. So, knowing exactly how well it works and for whom it is crucial - one vaccine is unlikely to be right for everyone.
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