Indian-Run Pharma Plant In Ukraine's Sumy Destroyed In Russian Drone Strike, 1 Killed: Reports

· Free Press Journal

Kyiv: An Indian-run pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Ukraine's Sumy region was reportedly largely destroyed in a Russian drone attack, with one person killed and several others injured, according to reports. The plant belongs to India's Kusum Group, which has operated the facility in Sumy for more than a decade.

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Visuals from the site showed a massive plume of smoke rising from the facility following the strike. NDTV report mentioned the main structure of the plant was largely destroyed, while the final casualty and damage assessment was still being determined.

Kusum Plant Reportedly Suffers Rs 400 Crore Loss

According to report in NDTV, the damage to the facility could amount to at least Rs 400 crore. The plant had continued operations throughout the Russia-Ukraine war before the latest attack.

The strike comes as Sumy, which lies close to Ukraine's border with Russia, continues to face frequent Russian drone and missile attacks. Recent attacks in the region have also targeted civilian and industrial infrastructure.

What Is The Kusum Group?

The Kusum Group began its operations in Ukraine in 1994 as a distributor exporting Indian medicines to the country. The company is currently headed by Indian national Rajeev Gupta.

The group moved into marketing its own brands in 2002 and subsequently expanded into pharmaceutical manufacturing. It opened manufacturing facilities in India in 2007 before setting up its Sumy plant in Ukraine in 2009.

The company manufactures more than 50 largely generic pharmaceutical products and sells them across several international markets, including Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and the Philippines.

Kusum describes itself as a Ukrainian pharmaceutical company with Indian roots.

Plant Had Continued Operating During War

The Sumy facility reportedly remained operational despite the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, making the latest strike particularly significant for the Indian-linked company.

The attack has also raised concerns over the continued targeting and disruption of Ukraine's industrial and pharmaceutical infrastructure. Russian strikes have repeatedly damaged civilian and commercial facilities across the country.

In September, for instance, Russian drones struck a shopping centre in Sumy, killing two people and injuring 20, according to Reuters.

Kusum Had Faced Earlier Russian Strike

This is not the first time Kusum Group's Ukrainian operations have been hit during the war.

An earlier Russian drone attack in 2025 reportedly destroyed one of the group's warehouses in Kyiv, causing substantial financial losses, although no deaths were reported in that incident.

The latest strike on the Sumy manufacturing facility represents a far more serious setback, with reports indicating extensive structural destruction and casualties.

Russia's Growing Drone Campaign

The attack comes amid an intensified Russian aerial campaign across Ukraine, with Moscow increasingly relying on drones alongside missiles and guided bombs.

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Sumy has remained one of the areas repeatedly targeted because of its proximity to the Russian border. Recent attacks have struck homes, businesses, shopping facilities and other civilian infrastructure.

Reports have also pointed to Russia's growing use of relatively inexpensive, long-range drones, including Shahed-type systems, in large numbers. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly faced the challenge of intercepting such attacks as Moscow maintains its aerial campaign.

The full extent of the damage to the Kusum facility, as well as the final number of casualties, is expected to become clearer as emergency and assessment teams complete their work.

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