Disruptions to Medicine Supplies in Ukraine Forecast Due to RF Shelling

In certain regions of Ukraine, demand for a number of medicines is rising. The reserves in pharmacies in some cases may be enough for 2-3 weeks. The reason is damage to logistical and civilian infrastructure due to ongoing Russian attacks, which directly affect the supply chains of medical products.

This was reported to Ukrinform by the Public Union “Pharmaceutical Professional Association of Ukraine.” There they noted that damage to logistics and civilian infrastructure as a result of continued attacks by Russian invaders directly affects logistical chains and the uninterrupted supply of medicines. The association notes a record of delays in supplying certain categories of medicines, while distributors are not always able to name exact timelines for full restoration of supplies.

APAU emphasizes that pharmacies are the final link in the supply chain and cannot independently compensate for shortages of medicines if they are absent from manufacturers or distributors. Therefore, to stabilize the situation, according to the association, coordination is needed between manufacturers, distributors, the pharmacy sector, and state authorities. Representatives of the pharmaceutical market are already consulting with the Ministry of Health and the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada on further steps.

Among APAU’s proposals are simplifying procedures for importing medicines, expanding pharmacies’ access to financial support and preferential lending, as well as:

the use of parallel import mechanisms

creating additional opportunities for pharmacy points to operate in protected premises, including in the metro, underground passages, and shelters

The association calls on citizens not to panic and not to stockpile medicines without urgent need, as mass accumulation of excessive household reserves further burdens the supply system. At the same time, patients who regularly take medicines for chronic conditions are advised to plan ahead for their purchase and have a stock of approximately 2-3 months, in line with the doctor’s prescriptions. APAU assures that the pharmacy sector remains resilient and continues to operate, and the supply situation is continuously monitored to prevent systemic disruptions.

MOH denied the threat of total shortages

Despite alarming signals from the pharmacological association, the Ministry of Health insists that there is no systemic shortage of medicines at the moment. The director of the State Expert Center of the MOH, Edem Adamannov, stated that attacks on pharmaceutical warehouses cause damage but do not paralyze medicine supplies to the population.

“An attack is very painful, but we do not currently have a shortage. We may lose some number of warehouses, it is horrific, but it does not mean there will be no medicines. Network pharmacies and distributors are flexible; they are restructuring their supply chains,” said Edem Adamannov, director of the MOH DEC.

According to Adamannov, manufacturers keep reserves in Europe and are able to quickly restore supplies, and the state additionally has its own strategic reserves of rare and expensive medicines, dispersed across different locations without public disclosure. In addition, mechanisms for mobile pharmacies and delivery by Ukrposhta have been worked out in Ukraine in case of local disruptions.

Earlier, Informator reported that Russians attacked Darnytsia pharmac company in the night of 28 June, when Russia bombarded Kyiv with ballistic missiles and damaged production facilities of one of the largest medicine manufacturers in Ukraine. The company did not reveal the scale of the damage at that time but assured that it would continue to fulfill its obligations to provide citizens with medicines. We also wrote that after the strike, Darnytsia resumed operations and, within a few days, began recruiting staff for production capacities, including a chemical analysis lab technician and a boiler operator.