Healthcare Crisis: Ukraine's Medical Supplies Targeted in Russian Strikes

Sun Dec 14 2025 05:49:33 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a troubling escalation of the conflict, Ukrainian medical warehouses have been heavily damaged in recent Russian drone strikes, leading to the loss of crucial healthcare supplies worth millions.

A series of Russian air strikes has devastated Ukraine's healthcare infrastructure, particularly targeting warehouses that stored vital medicines. Over $200 million worth of medical supplies have been destroyed, affecting pharmacies across the country. These attacks severely hinder the treatment of sick and wounded individuals in a nation that has already endured almost four years of war. The International Rescue Committee reported significant losses in supplies, amplifying the urgency for medical aid. Despite the destruction, distributors are optimistic about restoring supply chains in the near future.

Warehouses supplying the vast majority of Ukraine's pharmacies have been destroyed in a series of Russian attacks over recent months.

Medical supplies worth about $200m (£145m) were destroyed in just two strikes in December and October.

A large warehouse storing medicines in the city of Dnipro was destroyed in a Russian air strike on 6 December. As a result, about $110m worth of medicines were destroyed - estimated at up to 30% of Ukraine's monthly supply.

It was a missile and drone strike against our facility. The missiles flew past, but the drones hit it, said Dmytro Babenko, acting director-general of pharmaceutical distributor BADM.

They caused a fire which unfortunately proved impossible to contain and the whole facility was destroyed.

BADM is one of two companies that supply about 85% of Ukrainian pharmacies in roughly equal shares.

The other company is Optima Pharm, whose warehouses have been hit three times this year - on 28 August, 25 October, and 15 November.

The October attack destroyed its main storage facility in Kyiv, costing the company over $100m, says Optima Pharm's chief financial officer Artem Suprun.

Russia denies hitting civilian targets; however, when the Optima Pharm warehouse was hit in October, the defence ministry in Moscow claimed it had targeted a factory producing drones.

On the day BADM's warehouse was destroyed, Russia stated it hit a warehouse storing military equipment as well as energy and transport infrastructure.

Such attacks complicate treatment for the sick and wounded in Ukraine as international organizations report significant medication losses. The International Rescue Committee reported losing medications worth $195,000, sufficient for 30,000 people.

Despite the challenges, distributors express hope of restoring supplies within a month or a month-and-a-half.