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Kusum Healthcare said one employee was killed and several injured after a Russian drone strike damaged its pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Sumy
An Indian pharmaceutical company has called a Russian drone strike on its manufacturing facility in Ukraine’s Sumy a “hostile, senseless” attack, confirming that one employee was killed and several others were injured.
Kusum Healthcare said that it is still assessing the financial and operational impact of the October 4 attack. The company said its current damage estimate of more than $50 million can be determined only after a detailed assessment of the premises.
“With losses soaring past UAH 1 billion from the previous attack, and total current damage projected to breach the USD 50 million mark,” Kusum told Firstpost.
When asked about the latest estimate, the company said, “the projected estimate can be decided only after thorough investigation is done at the premises.”
What happens to Kusum’s Sumy plant?
Kusum has not confirmed that its Sumy facility is operational after the attack. It has also not given a timeline for restarting production at the plant.
Instead, the company said it has begun contingency planning through its manufacturing facilities in India.
“India global manufacturing of Kusum are the powerhouses – 2 in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan and 1 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The mfg. units have been apprised about the situation so that contingency planning is taken up on priority,” Kusum told Firstpost.
More from BusinessThe company said its Indian facilities are ready to support medicine supplies to Ukraine.
“Kusum’s manufacturing facilities in India are ready to support Ukrainian patients, provided there are no artificial regulatory barriers imposed by the Ukrainian regulatory authorities,” it said.
Kusum has not said how much production capacity has been disrupted at Sumy or how much of that output could be shifted to India. It has also not provided an estimate of the additional investment that may be needed to increase production at its Indian facilities.
A view of Kusum Healthcare’s pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Sumy, Ukraine, after it was damaged in a drone attack. Special arrangement. Source: Kusum Healthcare
Kusum says medicine supplies will continue
The damage to the Sumy facility has raised questions over whether the strike could disrupt supplies of medicines to Ukraine and other markets.
Kusum said it would continue its operations and meet its existing commitments.
“The company will stand its ground with “Quality and Health for All” as its operations and supply of life saving drugs will continue unabated as per prior and ongoing commitments,” it told Firstpost.
“Our spirits soar much higher than 2 subsequent military terror attacks carried out in 2025 and 2026,” the company said.
“Kusum will make every effort to run the operations extra mile so that any deficit or shortage met in due course are promptly resolved.”
The company did not provide a specific figure for the production capacity affected by the attack. It also did not say whether it expects immediate shortages or delays.
India facilities could support Ukraine
Kusum has two manufacturing units in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, and another in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The company said these facilities are being brought into its contingency planning following the attack.
It said they could support supplies to Ukrainian patients, subject to regulatory approvals.
“Kusum’s manufacturing facilities in India are ready to support Ukrainian patients, provided there are no artificial regulatory barriers imposed by the Ukrainian regulatory authorities,” the company said.
The company has not yet disclosed whether additional investment will be required at its Indian plants or how much additional production they could accommodate.
Kusum seeks government intervention
Kusum also called for action by the Government of India following the attack.
The company said New Delhi should raise the issue through diplomatic channels.
“Kusum’s urge to the Govt. of India will remain grounded in the fact that an attack on Indian exporters is an attack to the country’s pride,” it told Firstpost.
“The government should urgently open appropriate dialogues at the highest levels of diplomacy,” the company said.
The latest attack is the second major strike affecting Kusum’s Ukrainian operations. The company said a Russian drone destroyed its warehouse in Ukraine on April 14, 2025, causing losses of more than UAH 1 billion.
A view of Kusum Healthcare’s pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Sumy, Ukraine, after it was damaged in a drone attack. Special arrangement. Source: Kusum Healthcare
What happened in Sumy?
The October 4 Russian drone strike badly damaged Kusum’s pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Sumy. One employee was killed at the site and several others were injured.
Kusum described the incident as a “hostile, senseless Russian drone attack” and said the strike had hit a facility dedicated to manufacturing medicines.
Visuals from the site showed a large plume of smoke rising from the facility after the drones struck.
Ukrainian authorities also reported the attack on the pharmaceutical facility and the death of one person.
Kusum Group co-founder Sanjeev Gupta told The Times of India that six Russian drones hit the factory and described the incident as a “targeted attack”. He said the engineering department was hit and one engineer was killed, while other employees were evacuated.
Gupta also said the facility could remain out of operation for one to two years because of the extent of the damage. Kusum has not given Firstpost a definitive timeline for the restoration of the Sumy facility.
Indian roots, Ukrainian operations
Kusum Group began operations in Ukraine in 1994 as a distributor of medicines made in India. It moved into its own branded products in 2002 and later expanded into manufacturing.
The group opened a manufacturing facility in India in 2007 and established its Sumy plant in Ukraine in 2009. It subsequently added two more manufacturing facilities in India.
Kusum says its portfolio includes more than 500 products across more than 16 therapeutic areas and that it operates across 22 countries.
The Sumy facility had continued operating through much of the Russia-Ukraine war before the latest strike.
The company is now assessing the full financial damage and the impact on its production network. While Kusum has not confirmed when the Sumy facility will resume operations, it says its Indian manufacturing plants are being prepared to support its supply commitments and prevent shortages.
