Russian Strikes Destroy $200m of Ukraine's Medical Supplies, Hitting Pharmacies Hard
December 13, 2025
Russian air and drone strikes have destroyed major warehouses supplying about 85% of medicines to Ukrainian pharmacies. In December, an attack on a large warehouse in Dnipro wiped out $110 million worth of medicines, nearly 30% of the country's monthly supply. Dmytro Babenko, acting director-general of pharmaceutical distributor BADM, said, "It was a missile and drone strike against our facility. The missiles flew past, but the drones hit it." The resulting fire made containment impossible, destroying the whole warehouse. BADM and Optima Pharm are the two main firms supplying Ukraine. Optima Pharm's warehouses were hit three times this year, including an October strike in Kyiv that caused losses over $100 million, according to CFO Artem Suprun. Russia denies targeting civilian sites and claimed it hit military-related facilities during these strikes. The destruction severely affects treatment options amid the ongoing conflict. The International Rescue Committee reported losing $195,000 in medications from the Dnipro warehouse, enough for 30,000 patients. IRC's Andriy Moskalenko said, "All of this medicine could have served people for years, and in a single moment it was all lost." BADM's Babenko noted many destroyed medicines were imported and not made in Ukraine but expects supply restoration in a month or so. Ukrainian officials accuse Russia of deliberately attacking healthcare facilities, with over 2,500 medical centers damaged and 500 medical workers killed. The World Health Organization recorded 2,763 attacks on Ukraine's healthcare since Russia's invasion, with a 12% rise in 2025 compared to the previous year.
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Tags:
Ukraine
Russia
Medical Supplies
Warehouses
Attacks
Healthcare
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