An Indian-owned pharmaceutical facility in Ukraine’s Sumy region has been badly damaged in a Russian drone attack, with one person killed and several others injured. The main building of the plant was largely destroyed in the strike. Officials said the number of casualties could change as assessments continue.
Facility Damaged
According to NDTV report, the facility belonged to the Kusum Group, an Indian-origin pharmaceutical company that has operated in Ukraine for years. Footage from the site showed thick smoke rising from the area following the drone strikes. The damage to the plant is estimated to be at least Rs 400 crore. Despite the Russia-Ukraine war, the Sumy facility had continued its operations, but the latest attack has now caused major damage to the plant.
Ukraine Embassy In India Reacts
Reacting to a video showing the damage, the Embassy of Ukraine in India condemned the attack, saying the facility was a pharmaceutical factory producing essential medicines and was owned by Indian nationals. The embassy said the strike showed that Russia was not distinguishing between military and civilian targets.
It expressed condolences to the family of the person killed and sympathy to the Indian owners over the destruction of the factory. The embassy also called for tougher sanctions and international isolation of Russia.
"The aggressor does not care that this is not a military target. It does not care that this is a pharmaceutical factory producing critically needed medicines. The barbarians do not care that the factory belongs to Indian owners. The hypocrites continue talking about the “historic friendship” between India and Muscovy. In reality, death and destruction are the true face of Russian fascism, hidden behind the mask," the Embassy wrote on X.
Zelenskyy Condemns Russian Strikes
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also condemned the attacks and expressed condolences to the family of the person killed. He said Russian drones also targeted infrastructure in Kyiv and a communications facility in Dnipro, where six people were injured. According to Zelenskyy, the attacks are part of a wider Russian campaign targeting infrastructure and other facilities across Ukrainian cities.
Ukraine Signals Tougher Response
Zelenskyy has said Ukraine will respond by increasing attacks on Russian oil refineries. At the same time, he said Ukraine would not target civilians. He also claimed Ukrainian intelligence had obtained documents indicating that Russia had adopted a broader approach to attacking infrastructure, logistics and other targets in cities and villages.
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