A woman suspected of carrying out a bomb attack in Monaco last week that seriously injured a Ukraine-born business tycoon has been found shot dead near Kyiv. This is the latest twist in a case that has shaken the wealthy Mediterranean principality.
Ukrainian prosecutors said on Tuesday that the woman was found with a gunshot wound to the head, and two men have been arrested in connection with the case. One is an officer from Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR), and the other is a former law enforcement officer.
On Friday, Interpol issued a red notice for 39-year-old Anastasiia Berezovska, a Ukrainian national who speaks German. The notice—a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and temporarily arrest a suspect pending extradition—said Berezovska was wanted by Monaco on charges of attempted murder, placing an explosive device in a public place with criminal intent, and criminal conspiracy.
Prosecutors said in a statement that Berezovska received cryptocurrency payments from the two men who were later arrested, leading investigators to treat them as “individuals potentially involved in the attempted murder in Monaco.” They added that the HUR officer was “acting on his own initiative” and did not inform his superiors about his contacts with Berezovska.
Prosecutors also released footage of a blood-stained “torture chamber” containing hammers and other equipment, which they said was found during searches of the men’s properties.
The Guardian could not independently verify the prosecutors’ account.
This affair could be politically costly for Kyiv. Any evidence linking members of Ukraine’s intelligence services to a bombing on European soil would be deeply damaging, especially as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at a NATO summit on Tuesday seeking to shore up Western support while Russia continues its deadly bombardment of Ukrainian cities.
Prince Albert II of Monaco previously condemned the bombing as “an odious act” and said all the principality’s security services had been mobilized.
The victims have not been officially identified, but police and judicial sources told French media they were Vadym Iermolaiev, 58, a businessman originally from Ukraine who now holds Cypriot citizenship, his girlfriend, and their son. Iermolaiev and his partner were taken to hospital with serious injuries, while the child sustained minor injuries.
French prosecutors allege that Berezovska, who had been living in Germany, disguised herself as a man before placing an explosive device in the entrance hall of the family’s apartment building in Monaco.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Iermolaiev had been living in Monaco as part of a group of wealthy Ukrainian businessmen and politicians that independent Ukrainian media called the “Monaco battalion.”
Ukraine imposed sanctions on Iermolaiev in 2023, alleging he had maintained business links with Russian entities operating in Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscow, including Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.
Monaco’s deputy prosecutor said last week that the suspected attacker fled the principality on foot into neighboring France before traveling by car to Germany via several European countries, including Italy.
Ukraine has carried out numerous lethal operations involving explosive devices against senior Russian military officers and Kremlin-backed Ukrainian officials inside Russia, but there is no established precedent for such attacks on European territory.
Last week, German prosecutors accused Ukrainian “state authorities” of ordering the 2022 explosives attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia with Europe.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the event you described
General Questions
1 What is the main story about
A woman who was suspected of carrying out a bombing in Monaco was found shot dead near Kyiv Ukraine
2 Who was the woman
She was a suspect in a bombing that took place in Monaco Her identity has not been fully confirmed but reports suggest she may have been a Ukrainian national
3 Where exactly was she found
She was found dead in a village near Kyiv the capital of Ukraine The area is currently under Ukrainian control
4 What happened in Monaco
A bomb exploded in a residential area of Monaco The blast damaged buildings but did not cause any deaths The woman was the prime suspect in that attack
Investigation Circumstances
5 How did she die
She was found with a gunshot wound to the head Ukrainian authorities are treating it as a murder
6 Who killed her
No one has been arrested or officially named as the killer Investigators are looking into whether it was a targeted hit possibly by Russian or proRussian forces or a personal dispute
7 Why was she in Ukraine if the crime was in Monaco
She reportedly fled Monaco after the bombing and crossed into Ukraine It is believed she was hiding in the Kyiv region
8 Is this connected to the war in Ukraine
Its possible Some reports suggest she may have had ties to Russian intelligence or proRussian separatist groups However a direct link to the war has not been proven
Practical Security Concerns
9 Is Monaco safe to visit
Yes This appears to be an isolated incident involving a specific person not a pattern of random attacks Monaco remains a very safe country for tourists
10 Could this affect travel to Ukraine
No This event does not change the overall security situation Travel to Ukraine is still extremely dangerous due to the ongoing war regardless of this incident
11 What should I do if I have information about this case
If you are in Monaco contact the Monaco Police If you are in Ukraine contact the Ukrainian National Police Do not share unverified information on social media
DeeperAdvanced Questions
12 Why is this case getting so much international attention
It
