A Russian missile struck the warehouse of an Indian pharmaceutical company in Kyiv, Ukraine said on Saturday (April 12). The country's embassy in India alleged Russia "deliberately" targeted Indian businesses in Ukraine.
"Today, a Russian missile struck the warehouse of Indian pharmaceutical company Kusum in Ukraine. While claiming 'special friendship' with India, Moscow deliberately targets Indian businesses - destroying medicines meant for children and the elderly," Ukraine's embassy said, reports NDTV.
Kusum, owned by Indian businessman Rajiv Gupta, is among the largest pharma firms in Ukraine. The company's products are critical across Ukraine as they ensure availability of basic medicines, sources told NDTV. They said a drone, not a missile, made a direct hit on the warehouse.
Before Kyiv's post, Britain's ambassador to Ukraine Martin Harris said Russian strikes destroyed a major pharma's warehouse in Kyiv. Mr Martin, however, also said the attack was carried out by Russian drones, not a missile.
"This morning Russian drones completely destroyed a major pharmaceuticals warehouse in Kyiv, incinerating stocks of medicines needed by the elderly and children. Russia's campaign of terror against Ukrainian civilians continues," Mr Martin said in a post on X.
The British envoy to Ukraine posted a photo showing smoke rising from a structure that appeared to be a warehouse, along with a fire engine.
Earlier, Russia's defence ministry alleged Ukraine carried out five attacks on Russian energy infrastructure over the past day, a violation of a US-brokered moratorium on such strikes.
Ukraine and Russia agreed to pause strikes on each other's energy facilities last month, but both sides have repeatedly accused each other of breaking the moratorium.
While India has called for peace and an end to violence between Ukraine and Russia, it has not openly taken sides.
India has been buying a large volume of oil from Russia soon after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This is primarily because Russian oil was available at a significant discount to other international benchmarks due to Western sanctions and some European countries shunning purchases.
Russia continues to be India's top oil source. India imported 1.48 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil from Russia in February, against 1.67 million bpd in the previous month.
Bd-Pratidin English/ARK
