Nigerian medical student dies after hit by Russian airstrike on eve of graduation

Nnani Adaobi Marian, a 23-year-old Nigerian graduate of Kharkiv National Medical University, has died from injuries sustained in a Russian airstrike on Kharkiv on June 29, just days before she was due to receive her diploma.

A Nigerian medical graduate has died just days before she was set to receive her diploma, after a Russian airstrike hit her city in Ukraine.

Nnani Adaobi Marian, 23, a graduate of Kharkiv National Medical University, died in hospital after sustaining severe injuries when Russian forces dropped aerial bombs on the Kholodnohirskyi district of Kharkiv on June 29. Doctors battled to save her life, first in Kharkiv and later in Germany, before she succumbed to her injuries.

According to PM News, the university confirmed her death in a statement, describing her as “a bright, sincere and kind-hearted person.” It added: “She easily found common ground with people and was distinguished by her thirst for knowledge, hard work and sincere desire to help others.”

Adaobi had studied at Kharkiv National Medical University since 2020 and completed internships at the University of Cambridge and Biruni University in Turkey.

At the time of the attack, Adaobi and her friend, Fatima Huseynova, were reportedly on their way to a photoshoot ahead of their graduation. They were expected to receive their diplomas the following day. Fatima died at the scene, while Adaobi was rushed to hospital with serious injuries.

One of the bombs reportedly struck a roadway in the Kholodnohirskyi district. A total of 12 people were injured in the airstrike.