A facility belonging to an Indian pharmaceutical company in Kyiv was struck in a Russian attack, Ukraine reported today. The Ukrainian Embassy in India accused Moscow of intentionally damaging Indian-owned businesses operating within its borders.
"A warehouse operated by Kusum, an Indian pharmaceutical firm, was hit by a Russian missile today," said the embassy in a public statement. "Despite Moscow’s claims of a ‘special friendship’ with India, they are deliberately targeting Indian enterprises, destroying essential medicines intended for vulnerable groups like children and the elderly."
Kusum, headed by Indian entrepreneur Rajiv Gupta, is one of Ukraine’s major suppliers of essential medicines. According to sources cited by NDTV, the facility was not hit by a missile, as initially reported, but by a drone in a direct strike.
Before Ukraine’s official statement, British Ambassador to Ukraine Martin Harris also commented on the attack. He confirmed that Russian drones were responsible and highlighted the destruction of a major pharmaceutical storage facility in Kyiv. “Russian drones have today completely destroyed a large medical warehouse in Kyiv, burning vital medications meant for elderly people and children. This is yet another act of terror against Ukrainian civilians,” Mr. Harris wrote on social media platform X, along with an image showing smoke rising from what appeared to be a warehouse.
Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry earlier claimed Ukraine had launched five strikes on Russian energy infrastructure in the past 24 hours, violating a ceasefire agreement that was mediated by the United States. Although both sides agreed last month to halt attacks on each other’s energy assets, they continue to accuse each other of breaching the deal.
India has maintained a neutral stance in the ongoing conflict, repeatedly urging both nations to resolve the crisis through dialogue. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India has significantly increased its oil imports from Moscow, largely due to the discounted prices resulting from Western sanctions and reduced demand from Europe.
Russia remains India’s primary oil supplier, with India importing 1.48 million barrels per day in February, slightly down from 1.67 million bpd in January.