A Nigerian medical graduate of Kharkiv National Medical University, Nnani Adaobi Marian, has been confirmed among the victims of a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, just days before her graduation.
According to news reports, Russian forces launched aerial bomb attacks on the Kholodnohirskyi district of Kharkiv on June 29, killing 14 people across the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv regions and injuring 98 others.
Reacting to the incident, Kharkiv National Medical University issued a statement explaining that Marian sustained critical injuries during the attack and later died despite extensive efforts by doctors in Kharkiv and Germany to save her life.
Part of the statement reads:
“As a result of enemy shelling, Nnani Adaobi Marian was seriously injured. Doctors fought for her life until the last moment: first in Kharkiv, and later in Germany. Everyone sympathised, helped, and hoped for her recovery, but, unfortunately, despite all the efforts of the doctors, they could not save her.”
The university stated that Marian enrolled at the institution in 2020 and distinguished herself as a capable, responsible, and hardworking student who consistently achieved outstanding academic results.
The institution added that she actively pursued professional development through international internships, including at the University of Cambridge in 2024 and Biruni University in 2025, where she strengthened her clinical skills and participated in scientific research. It described her as a bright, sincere, and kind-hearted individual.
On the day of the attack, Marian was reportedly travelling with her friend, Fatima Huseynova, for a graduation photoshoot when the airstrike occurred. The pair were scheduled to receive their medical degrees the following day. Fatima was killed instantly in the attack, while Marian sustained critical injuries and was taken to hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries despite intensive medical care.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has expressed deep sorrow over Marian’s death in an official statement.
“The Federal Government extends its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, friends, colleagues, and the Nigerian community affected by this tragic loss,” the statement said.
