Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized for failing to attend the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

Axar.az reports citing Russian media that Putin joined the event in a video format and apologized to the summit participants.

The Russian leader said that some people he came in contact with were infected with the coronavirus: “Dozens of people have been infected with the coronavirus, not just one or two. Therefore, I postponed my visit to Dushanbe at the last moment, and I am sorry about it. As you know, the reason for this is that people around me are infected with the coronavirus,” Putin said.

Delegations from Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Belarus, and Armenia are taking part in the meeting, which began on September 15.