Russia Breaks Silence on Death of Nigerian Student, Denies Responsibility

The Russian Embassy in Nigeria has broken its silence on the death of 23-year-old Nigerian medical graduate, Marian Nnani, expressing condolences to her family while rejecting claims that Russian forces were responsible for the incident.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the embassy said it had taken note of reports published by several Nigerian media organisations alleging that the student died as a result of Russian military operations in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

While sympathising with the family and friends of the deceased over what it described as an “irreparable loss,” the embassy maintained that there is no confirmed evidence linking the student’s death to Russian military action.

It stressed that investigations into the incident are still ongoing and cautioned against attributing responsibility before the facts are established.

“The Embassy emphasizes that at the moment there is no confirmed information on whose actions really caused the death of the student,” the statement said.

The Russian mission reiterated its longstanding position that the Russian Armed Forces conduct precision strikes only against military targets and do not intentionally attack civilians or civilian infrastructure.

It further argued that civilian casualties in the conflict are often caused by the operations of Ukraine’s air defence systems.

The embassy also criticised what it described as one-sided reporting by some Nigerian media outlets, accusing them of blaming Russia without documentary proof while allegedly overlooking incidents it said were carried out by Ukrainian forces.

As an example, the embassy cited the May 22, 2026 attack on the Lugansk State Pedagogical University College in Starobelsk, where it claimed 21 students were killed in what it described as a deliberate strike by Ukrainian authorities.

The statement follows an earlier announcement by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirming Marian Nnani’s death from injuries sustained during an aerial attack in Kharkiv.
The ministry had extended condolences to her family, said Nigerian missions in Ukraine and Germany were providing consular assistance, and renewed Nigeria’s call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The Russian Embassy insisted that the circumstances surrounding the Nigerian student’s death remain under investigation and that responsibility should only be determined after official findings are concluded.