A targeted explosion occurred at the entrance of a residential building in Monaco, located close to the French border, resulting in injuries to three individuals. Local authorities have confirmed that two of the victims are currently in critical, life-threatening condition. The injured parties include the Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev, along with a woman who was with him at the time of the blast. Both Yermolaiev and the woman are facing life-threatening medical conditions following the attack.
Monaco’s Minister of State, Christophe Mirmand, provided additional details, noting that a 13-year-old individual, who was likely related to the couple, also sustained injuries in the incident. Furthermore, four other people were treated after suffering from shock and various cuts caused by glass from broken windows. Minister Mirmand explicitly characterized the event as a deliberate explosion. Prince Albert II of Monaco strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a heinous crime and a significant shock to the entire Monegasque community. The mayor of Nice, a city situated on the French side of the nearby border, expressed his solidarity with the emergency services, referring to the incident as a tragedy striking Monaco.
Investigations into the cause of the explosion suggest the device contained bolts and buckshot. Reports from the French outlet BFMTV, citing local security authorities, indicate that an individual was observed placing a backpack at the scene before fleeing. CCTV footage captured a man wearing a dark hat running from the location, and public prosecutor Stephane Thibault stated that the suspect had placed the bag directly in the building’s lobby. Minister of State Mirmand explained that the suspect, who has been captured on video surveillance in both Monaco and the neighboring French town of Beausoleil, successfully crossed the border into France on foot immediately following the detonation. Currently, French authorities are coordinating with their counterparts in Monaco to conduct an active search for the suspect, who remains at large.
The victim, Vadym Yermolaiev, is a Ukrainian multimillionaire who resides in Monaco. Since December 2023, he has been subject to official sanctions imposed by his native country, Ukraine. According to statements from Ukrainian security services, these sanctions were enacted due to allegations regarding his involvement in the alcohol business within Russian-occupied Crimea.
