A dramatic twist has emerged in the Monaco bombing case, with the prime suspect's body discovered in Ukraine and revelations linking her murder to Ukrainian intelligence agencies raising questions about official complicity. Anastasia Berezovska, 39, identified by French police as the individual seen on CCTV leaving an explosive device outside an apartment block in Monaco, was found dead in woods near Kyiv.
The Monaco incident, which occurred last week, resulted in injuries to Ukrainian businessman Vadym Iermolaiev and his family. Berezovska, reportedly disguised as a man, fled the scene in a car with German registration plates, travelling through France and Italy before arriving in Ukraine on 1st July. Her journey concluded in her hometown of Zhytomyr, west of Kyiv, shortly before her body was discovered.
Ukrainian officials announced on Tuesday that Berezovska's body had been located. According to Ukraine’s SBU intelligence agency, she was met by two men upon her return, who had reportedly made payments to her bank and cryptocurrency accounts. One of these men, Vladyslav Reut, appeared in a Kyiv court on Thursday, accused of her murder. Reut, 33, identified his alleged accomplice as Vitaliy Zhykovych, a former policeman from the Kyiv region.
Ukrainian media have reported that Reut studied law and worked for Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency, serving in unit A2772, a training centre for special operations forces. In court, Reut claimed Zhykovych was responsible for Berezovska's killing, stating that the two men took her at gunpoint to a forest where Zhykovych fired multiple shots. The SBU confirmed finding Berezovska's body after the men's confessions and recovered bullet casings from the forest.
The connection to Ukrainian military intelligence is particularly embarrassing for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to urge a thorough investigation and punishment for those responsible. Zelenskyy has promised to update the public on the incident, which has sparked international concern given its implications for Ukraine's counter-terrorism efforts.
The target of the Monaco bombing, Vadym Iermolaiev, is one of Ukraine’s wealthiest citizens, with a fortune estimated at $220 million. His family connections and business interests in occupied Crimea have raised questions about his vulnerability to exploitation by extremist groups or state agencies seeking leverage over him.