Russian missile destroys Indian firm’s store in Kyiv

KYIV: The Indian embassy in Ukraine has claimed that a Russian missile strike targeted the warehouse of Indian pharmaceutical company Kusum in Kyiv, resulting in the destruction of medicines specifically meant for children and the elderly.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indian embassy in Ukraine alleged that despite Moscow’s claims of a “special friendship” with India, it deliberately targeted an Indian business.

The embassy stated in a tweet: “Today, a Russian missile struck the warehouse of the Indian pharmaceutical company Kusum in Ukraine. On one hand, Moscow claims a special friendship with India, while on the other, it is deliberately destroying Indian businesses.”

Meanwhile, Martin Harris, the British Ambassador to Ukraine, also confirmed that a large pharmaceutical company’s warehouse in Kyiv was destroyed in a Russian attack. However, he did not mention the name of the company, stating that the strike was carried out using a drone.

Ambassador Harris also shared an image showing smoke rising from the warehouse, with fire brigade teams present at the site.

So far, neither the Russian nor the Indian government has issued an official statement on the incident.

On the other hand, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Ukraine carried out five attacks on Russian energy infrastructure over the past 24 hours, violating an agreement brokered by the United States that prohibits targeting energy facilities.

It is worth noting that since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the war between the two nations has continued. India has maintained a balanced diplomatic stance, refraining from supporting either side directly.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated in a podcast last month that war is not a solution to any problem, and he has personally spoken to the presidents of both countries, urging them to agree to a ceasefire.