By Enitan Abdultawab
A 23-year-old Nigerian medical graduate, Nnani Adaobi Marian, has died after sustaining critical injuries in a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, just days before her graduation ceremony.
Adaobi was injured on June 29, 2026, when Russian forces reportedly struck the Kholodnohirskyi district of Kharkiv with aerial bombs. She was initially treated in Kharkiv before being transferred to Germany, where she died on Sunday, July 5, despite efforts by doctors to save her life.
Confirming her death, Kharkiv National Medical University paid tribute to the young graduate, describing her as an exceptional student with a passion for helping others.
“Nnani Adaobi Marian was a bright, sincere and kind-hearted person. She easily found common ground with people and was distinguished by her thirst for knowledge, hard work and sincere desire to help others,” the university said.
