Russian drone attack destroys Ukraine-based pharmaceutical plant of Indian company Kusum Group, killing one

October 4, 2026

New Delhi: A Russian drone attack has caused significant damage to a major pharmaceutical plant owned by the Indian Kusum Group in Sumy, Ukraine. One person was killed and several others were injured.

According to officials, a large portion of the plant’s main building was destroyed in the attack. Officials said the death toll and the number of dead and injured may change as the damage and casualties are being assessed.

Videos and photos released after the attack showed a large plume of smoke rising from around the plant.

Kusum Group was founded in 1994

Kusum Group began operations in 1994 as a distributor for Indian pharmaceuticals exported to Ukraine. Currently, the company is run by Indian citizen Rajiv Gupta.

In 2002, the company stopped distributing other companies’ medicines and began marketing its own brand of medicines. The group subsequently entered the manufacturing sector. It opened its first plant in India in 2007 and established a manufacturing unit in Sumy, Ukraine, in 2009. Two more facilities were subsequently opened in India.

The company manufactures over 50 primarily generic pharmaceuticals and sells them in over nine countries. Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and the Philippines are among the major markets.

The plant continued to operate during the Russia-Ukraine war

Work at the Kusum plant in Sumy continued during the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. However, the plant has suffered significant damage in the latest drone attack.

Initial estimates of the damage from this attack are at least ₹400 crore. Kusum Group presents itself as a Ukrainian company with Indian roots.

Russia Increases Drone Attacks

Since the summer, Russia has been using a large number of high-speed, jet-engined Shahed drones daily in Ukraine. These drones are relatively low-cost and have a high speed, posing a significant challenge to Ukraine’s air defense system.

Meanwhile, Ukraine this week announced the first combat use of its domestically developed FP-7 ballistic missile. This missile has a range of approximately 250 kilometers.