Russian Airstrike Kills Nigerian Medical Student Days Before Graduation

A Nigerian medical student, Adaobi Marian Nnani, has died from injuries sustained during a Russian airstrike in Ukraine, just days before her graduation from Kharkiv National Medical University.

The 23-year-old was critically injured while travelling with a fellow student, Fatima Huseynova, for a graduation photo session ahead of their medical degree ceremony.

Fatima was killed in the attack, while Nnani 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 said Nnani enrolled in 2020 and distinguished herself through academic excellence, dedication and compassion.

During her studies, she participated in international academic programmes, including internships at the University of Cambridge in 2024 and Biruni University in Türkiye in 2025, where she strengthened her clinical skills and contributed to medical research.

The university described her as a hardworking, kind-hearted and outstanding student whose passion for learning and service inspired those around her.

It extended condolences to her family, friends and classmates, saying her memory would remain an enduring part of the university community.