Two Nigerian medical graduates, Nnani Adaobi Marian and Fatima Huseynova of Kharkiv National Medical University have died after sustaining severe injuries in a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
The unfortunate incident occurred days before their graduation.
Reports indicate that Russian forces dropped aerial bombs on the Kholodnohirskyi district of Kharkiv on June 29, killing 14 people across the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions and injuring 98 others.
Adaobi, who is 23-year-old, was reportedly on her way to a graduation photoshoot with her friend, Fatima Huseynova, when one of the bombs exploded in the district.
The two medical students were expected to receive their degrees the following day.
While Fatima died at the scene of the attack, Marian sustained life-threatening injuries and was rushed to hospital, where doctors battled to save her life.
In a statement, Kharkiv National Medical University said medical teams in both Kharkiv and Germany made desperate efforts to keep the Nigerian student alive, but she eventually succumbed to her injuries.
“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 said.
The university described Marian’s death as a painful loss to the institution, noting that she had demonstrated academic excellence and commitment throughout her medical training.
According to the institution, Marian enrolled in 2020 and quickly distinguished herself as a responsible, hardworking and outstanding student with consistently high academic performance.
Beyond her classroom achievements, the university said she actively sought opportunities to broaden her professional knowledge through international training and research.
It noted that she completed internships at the University of Cambridge in 2024 and Biruni University in 2025, where she enhanced her clinical skills and participated in scientific research.
The institution also paid tribute to her character, describing her as compassionate, cheerful and dedicated to 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 statement added.
