The Russian Embassy in Nigeria has responded to reports linking the death of 23-year-old Nigerian student, Nnani Adaobi Marian, to a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, saying there is no confirmed evidence that Russian forces were responsible.

In a statement issued on Tuesday via its official social media account, the embassy expressed condolences to Marian’s family and friends over her death.

“The Embassy expresses its deepest and sincere condolences to the family and friends of Marian Nnani in connection with their irreparable loss,” the statement read.

The embassy, however, maintained that there is no verified information identifying the cause of the student’s death, arguing that civilian casualties are often the result of what it described as the “chaotic operation” of Ukraine’s air defence systems.

It also insisted that Russian armed forces target only military installations and do not deliberately strike civilians or civilian infrastructure.

The embassy further accused some Nigerian media outlets of publishing unverified reports blaming Russia for the incident while ignoring information it claimed to have provided regarding attacks allegedly carried out by Ukrainian forces.

The response comes shortly after the Federal Government said it was working with relevant authorities and Nigeria’s diplomatic missions in Ukraine and Germany to verify the circumstances surrounding Marian’s death and provide the necessary consular support to her family.