An unprecedented explosion in Monaco, which injured a Ukrainian-born business tycoon, his wife, and their child, is being investigated as an attempted assassination rather than a terrorist attack, according to prosecutors. The incident has deeply unsettled the normally secure principality, prompting a wide-ranging search for the individual responsible.
The Monaco government confirmed that a suspect left a parcel bomb in the lobby of a residential building on Monday evening, which detonated shortly before 9 pm. Officials described the event as a "powerful explosion." French media identified the victims as Vadym Iermolaiev, his wife, and their 13-year-old child. Mr Iermolaiev and his wife were hospitalised with serious injuries, while their child also sustained wounds.
Mr Iermolaiev, originally from Dnipro in south-eastern Ukraine, founded the Alef trade and industrial corporation and is known as an influential property developer and businessman. Reports indicate he acquired Cypriot nationality in 2019 and was subjected to Ukrainian sanctions in 2023, reportedly for conducting business in Russian-occupied Crimea. The Ukrainian embassy in Paris has stated it is verifying the identities and nationalities of those involved.
Prince Albert II of Monaco described the incident as a "heinous crime" and "a shock to the entire Monegasque community." The prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes department also expressed solidarity with the victims and their families, assuring that "security forces are very strongly mobilised to search for, apprehend, and bring before the justice system, as quickly as possible, the perpetrator of this horrific act."
The search for the suspect is being complicated by Monaco's geographical position, bordered by France and the sea, with no routine border checks between the principality and France. Italy is also in close proximity, creating a complex environment for the manhunt. At a press conference, the prosecutor confirmed one of the three injured, a woman, is in a life-threatening condition, while the man and child are no longer in critical danger, though their identities were not officially released by authorities.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has not issued any specific travel warnings for Monaco in light of the incident, maintaining its general advice for visitors to the principality. British nationals residing in or travelling to Monaco are advised to remain vigilant and follow the guidance of local authorities. The UK Government will be monitoring the situation closely, particularly given the potential implications for international business and security in a region popular with British expatriates and tourists.
Source: Reuters, AFP, The Guardian