A 23-year-old Nigerian medical student, Nnani Adaobi Marian, has died after sustaining severe injuries from a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, just days before her graduation from medical school.

Adaobi, a final-year student of Kharkiv National Medical University, was critically wounded on June 29 when Russian forces reportedly dropped aerial bombs on the Kholodnohirskyi district of the city.

According to reports, she was immediately rushed to a hospital in Kharkiv before being transferred to Germany for advanced treatment. Despite intensive medical efforts, she later succumbed to her injuries.

Confirming her death, the university described Adaobi as an exceptional student whose dedication, kindness, and commitment to helping others left a lasting impression on those around her.

“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 institution said in a statement.

Adaobi had been studying medicine at the university since 2020 and had further enriched her academic experience through internships at University of Cambridge and Biruni University.

Tragically, she and her friend, Fatima Huseynova, were reportedly on their way to a graduation photoshoot when the attack occurred. The pair had been scheduled to receive their medical degrees the following day.

While Fatima died at the scene of the bombing, Adaobi was evacuated for emergency treatment but ultimately lost her battle for survival.

Reports indicate that one of the aerial bombs struck a roadway in the Kholodnohirskyi district, leaving at least 12 people injured in the attack.

Adaobi’s death has sparked an outpouring of grief among fellow students, friends, and members of the Nigerian community, with many mourning the loss of a promising young doctor whose life was cut short on the eve of a major personal milestone.