Ukraine Intensifies Strikes as Peace Talks Stall

Ukraine’s military escalated its efforts by carrying out drone strikes deep inside Russian territory. These strikes targeted a refinery in Russian-occupied Crimea and an oil tank in Moscow. This strategy aims to convey a message to Russia as peace discussions remain at a standstill.

Meanwhile, Anastasiia Berezovska, a 39-year-old Ukrainian national, is wanted by Interpol in connection with a bombing incident in Monaco. The explosion at an apartment building on June 30 injured Vadym Yermolaiev, a construction magnate of Ukrainian origin. Reports suggest that the blast also injured a woman and a 13-year-old child, believed to be Yermolaiev’s family members.

The parcel bomb explosion resulted in critical injuries, according to media accounts. Berezovska faces charges of attempted murder, planting an explosive device on a public road with criminal intent, and criminal association.

Interpol describes Berezovska as a dark-haired, German-speaking woman who might have a snake tattoo on her arm. Initially, authorities mistook the suspect for a heavy-set man. Monaco Deputy Prosecutor Morgan Raymond detailed that the suspect planted the explosive at the apartment’s entrance before triggering it remotely.

He stood up a few meters ahead of the victims, placed an explosive device taken from his shopping bag on the entrance steps of the building, then turned to confirm the presence of the three victims before triggering the explosion, Raymond stated.

Surveillance footage revealed a man reconnoitering the area before the incident. On June 28, the man was not visible on security cameras, but a woman, suspected to be Berezovska, mirrored his actions.

This pattern suggests a targeted attack on the victims, and investigators tracked Berezovska’s escape through Europe. In Germany, police raided her Frankfurt apartment while actively searching for her.

Authorities suspect that the sophistication of the explosive implies she had assistance. No motive has been confirmed, but Yermolaiev’s affiliations may play a role. He gave up Ukrainian citizenship in 2017, gaining Cypriot citizenship in 2019. The Ukrainian government sanctioned him for alleged ongoing relations with Russia and business activities in Crimea.