A Nigerian medical student, Nnani Adaobi Marian, has died after sustaining injuries from an airstrike carried out by Russian forces in the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine, just days before her graduation date.
Reports indicate that the attack occurred on June 29, when bombs were dropped on the Kholodnohirskyi district of Kharkiv. The strike resulted in the deaths of 14 people in the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv regions, while 98 others were injured.
In a statement issued by the Kharkiv National Medical University, the institution revealed that Marian sustained severe injuries in the attack, and despite efforts by doctors in Ukraine and Germany to save her life, she later passed away.
The university stated that Marian began her studies in 2020, where she excelled in diligence and academic performance. She also participated in international training programs, including at the University of Cambridge in 2024 and Biruni University in 2025, to further her expertise in medicine and scientific research.
The statement described Marian as talented, kind-hearted, and dedicated to helping others.
Reports also indicate that Marian was with her friend, Fatima Huseynova, taking graduation photos when the attack occurred. They were scheduled to receive their graduation certificates the following day.
Fatima died instantly in the attack, while Marian sustained severe injuries before later succumbing to them in the hospital.
It was also reported that one of the bombs exploded on a street in the Kholodnohirskyi district, injuring 12 other people.