Russian Drone Strike Hits Kusum Pharma Plant in Ukraine, One Killed — SkimNews
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- Kusum Healthcare facility in Sumy, Ukraine was hit by a Russian drone strike on Sunday, killing one employee and injuring several others, with the company calling it a 'cruel repeat strike'
- Kusum estimates the latest damage at over USD 50 million (approximately Rs 400 crore), compounding losses of more than UAH 1 billion (over Rs 250 crore) from the April 14, 2025 drone strike that destroyed its Ukrainian warehouse
- Kusum publicly condemned what it described as the 'deafening silence' from the Government of India, saying repeated pleas for high-level diplomatic intervention had received no response
- Ukraine Embassy in India condemned the attack on X, stating 'the barbarians do not care that the factory belongs to Indian owners' and accusing Russia of hiding 'fascism' behind talk of 'historic friendship' with India
- Kusum has manufactured medicines in Ukraine since 2009 and also operates two manufacturing units in Rajasthan's Bhiwadi and one in Indore
- Kusum described the facility as 'a sanctuary dedicated entirely to manufacturing life-saving drugs' supplying essential medicines to Ukraine and neighbouring CIS nations
Why it matters: Kusum has now absorbed over Rs 650 crore in combined losses across two Russian drone strikes in under 18 months while continuing to operate, and the company's public naming of India's 'deafening silence' puts New Delhi in an uncomfortable spot — its diplomatic tightrope with Moscow is being tested by an Indian business being destroyed on the ground.
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