Bomb Attack in Monaco Injures Ukrainian Magnate and Family

Ukrainian prosecutors released a video purporting to show the bombing in Monaco that seriously injured magnate Vadym Yermolaiev and his family. The June 30 attack deeply affected the quiet, wealthy principality on the Mediterranean coast. The motive remains unknown, but investigators in Monaco, France, and Ukraine are involved, along with Interpol.

The alleged perpetrator, Anastasiia Berezovska, was found dead in Ukraine days later. A Ukrainian military intelligence officer confessed to killing her but claimed he acted alone, without his superiors’ knowledge, according to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

The video, provided to The Associated Press on Saturday, shows a person with a hat and bag placing an object at a building entrance before walking away. In the background, a man, woman, and child approach the entrance followed by an explosion, at which point the video blurs.

Ukrainian Prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko stated on Telegram that the video came from surveillance set up by the suspects to ensure the attack was carried out. The footage was initially deleted but SBU specialists restored it. Monaco’s prosecutor’s office has not commented on the video or the investigation’s status.

This week, Yermolaiev’s lawyers released a letter accusing Ukrainian security services of orchestrating the explosion and asking for protection for his family. In the letter, shared with French media, Yermolaiev claimed Ukrainian military intelligence was directly involved in an assassination attempt on his family.

Yermolaiev wrote that he remains hospitalized, his partner Anna suffers irreversible injuries, and their 13-year-old son sustained burns and fractures.

Unusually, the letter expresses gratitude to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his personal attention to the case and unspecified assistance, according to French press reports.

The Zelenskyy administration sanctioned Yermolaiev in 2023 over ties to Russia. Yermolaiev claims he gave up his Ukrainian citizenship. Zelenskyy has not commented on his involvement in the case.