A 23-year-old Nigerian medical student, Nnani Adaobi Marian, has died from injuries sustained in a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, just days before she was due to graduate.

Adaobi was critically injured on June 29 after Russian forces struck Kharkiv’s Kholodnohirskyi district with aerial bombs. She was initially treated in Kharkiv before being transferred to Germany for specialised medical care, where she died on July 5 despite efforts by doctors to save her life.

Kharkiv National Medical University confirmed her death, describing her as a dedicated and compassionate student who had been studying at the institution since 2020. During her training, she completed internships at the University of Cambridge and Biruni University in Türkiye.

According to reports, Adaobi was on her way to a graduation photoshoot with her friend, Fatima Huseynova, when the attack occurred. Fatima was killed instantly, while Adaobi suffered life-threatening injuries. At least 12 other people were wounded in the strike.

The Kharkiv regional prosecutor’s office also extended condolences to her family, noting that medical teams fought to save her life until the end. Adaobi’s death highlights the continued toll of the war on civilians, coming just as she was set to complete her medical studies.