Russia has rejected accusations from Ukraine that its military was responsible for a missile strike on the warehouse of Indian pharmaceutical company Kusum Healthcare in Kyiv. The Russian Embassy in India claimed the damage was likely caused by a misfired Ukrainian air defence missile.
The controversy began when the Ukrainian Embassy in India posted on X, stating that a Russian missile had “deliberately” struck the Kusum Healthcare facility, accusing Moscow of targeting Indian business interests despite its professed close ties with India. “While claiming ‘special friendship’ with India, Moscow deliberately targets Indian business—destroying medicine meant for children and elderly,” the post alleged.
In a prompt response, the Russian Embassy denied the allegations, stating, “The Russian Armed Forces did not attack or plan to attack on April 12, Kusum Healthcare’s pharmacy warehouse in the eastern part of Kiev.” It clarified that Russian strikes that day were aimed at military targets including an aviation plant, a military airfield, and workshops for armored vehicle repairs and UAV assembly, located elsewhere.
Blaming Ukraine’s own defence systems for the incident, the embassy stated, “The most likely explanation of the incident is that one of the Ukrainian air defence missiles fell on Kusum Healthcare’s warehouse, setting it on fire.” It further noted that similar incidents have occurred in the past due to what it described as “ineptly operated electronic warfare systems.”
Russia reiterated its stance that it does not target civilian infrastructure and accused the Ukrainian military of using urban areas to deploy defence equipment, thereby endangering civilians. “It has become customary for the Ukrainian military to deploy air defence systems, rocket launchers, artillery pieces and other military equipment in urban areas using civilians as a human shield,” the embassy claimed.
The incident has added tension to the already strained relations between Moscow and Kyiv, with both sides trading blame as investigations into the warehouse strike continue.