A 23-year-old Nigerian medical graduate, Nnani Adaobi Marian, has died after sustaining critical injuries in a Russian airstrike on Kharkiv, Ukraine.
Adaobi was reportedly wounded on June 29 when Russian forces launched aerial bomb attacks on the Kholodnohirskyi district of the city. She was initially treated in Kharkiv before being transferred to Germany, where she later died despite efforts by doctors to save her life.
Kharkiv National Medical University confirmed her death in a statement, describing her as an intelligent, compassionate and hardworking student.
“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.
Adaobi had been studying at the university since 2020 and had also completed internships at the University of Cambridge and Biruni University in Turkey.
According to reports, she and her friend, Fatima Huseynova, were on their way to a graduation photoshoot when the airstrike occurred. The pair were scheduled to receive their medical degrees the following day.
Fatima died at the scene of the attack, while Adaobi was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
One of the aerial bombs reportedly struck a roadway in the Kholodnohirskyi district, leaving 12 people injured in the attack.
