Russia tripled attacks on medical and pharmaceutical warehouses in Ukraine in 2025

In 2025, the number of Russian military attacks on medical and pharmaceutical warehouses in Ukraine tripled compared with the previous year.

Source: Jarno Habicht, Head of the World Health Organization Office in Ukraine, in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine

Details: Habicht said the least accessible medicines for patients included pain relief drugs, treatments for cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, and antibiotics.

He noted that research has identified several key problems in Ukraine's healthcare system, including difficulties some Ukrainians face in obtaining medicines.

The most common reasons cited are high prices and limited availability. In frontline regions, people also report closed pharmacies, security-related difficulties and financial constraints.

Russia is also actively attacking medical and pharmaceutical warehouses, with the number of strikes increasing significantly compared with 2024, Habicht added.

In regions most affected by the war, 59% of respondents rated their health as poor or very poor. Over the past year, 64% of Ukrainians said their mental health had deteriorated.

Quote: "In frontline oblasts, more than 740 healthcare facilities have been fully or partially damaged, significantly reducing access to medical care for communities living near areas of active hostilities.

Vulnerable groups in these areas face increasingly limited access to timely medical care, while ongoing attacks have forced many healthcare workers to leave the most affected regions.

As a result, frontline territories bear the greatest burden, suffering not only from regular attacks but also from the deterioration of an already fragile healthcare system."

Details: Access to surgical care also remains uneven: in frontline regions, 21% more respondents reported difficulties compared with other parts of the country.

Habicht noted that access to healthcare more broadly remains problematic in Ukraine due to the remoteness of medical facilities, damage to infrastructure and security risks. Elderly people and those with chronic illnesses face particular challenges.

"Interruptions in treatment for these patients can lead to worsening health conditions and complications," he stressed.

Meanwhile, healthcare workers face enormous pressure due to excessive workloads and constant stress throughout the years of war. Many medical workers have been killed, while others have relocated to different regions.

"The shortage of medical personnel is a serious challenge facing Ukraine and significantly affects the ability to provide proper care to those who need it," Habicht added.

Background: Ukraine's Ministry of Health reported that as of May 2025, Russia had damaged or destroyed over 2,300 medical infrastructure facilities. Medical institutions in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts suffered the most.

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