KIEV, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky informed about signing the contract of over 1.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by China's SinoVac Biotech, while the state is working on obtaining more vaccines, reported the president's press service on Wednesday.

"We signed the first contract for the supply of the vaccine - no longer a memorandum, but a contract for more than 1.9 million doses," said Zelensky.

The head of the state said that Ukraine already has an agreement on 8 million doses of the vaccine under the COVAX program, which the state will receive for free, but the authorities are trying to increase this number.

The president noted that the Ukrainian government is purchasing only high-quality vaccine that has proven its effectiveness.

Signing the contract opens the way for the supply and use of the Sinovac Biotech vaccine after official registration.

According to Ukrainian Health Ministry, a total of 1,045,348 COVID-19 cases and 18,324 deaths have been reported in Ukraine as of Wednesday, while 698,190 patients have recovered.