Monaco identifies suspect behind bombing that injured Ukraine-born businessman, media reports
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Monaco issued an arrest warrant via Interpol on the evening of July 2 for a woman suspected of planting a bomb that injured Ukrainian-born businessman Vadym Iermolaiev and his family, local newspaper Monaco-Matin reported.
Dnipro-born Iermolaiev featured among Ukraine's richest individuals until 2019, when he swapped his Ukrainian citizenship for a Cypriot passport. Since 2023, he has been sanctioned by Ukraine.
On the evening of June 29, an apartment building in Monaco was rocked by a major explosion, seriously injuring Iermolaiev and his partner Anna Nasobina, who Monaco-Matin reports has had both legs amputated.
The suspect is "around age 30, blonde, and likely from Eastern Europe," and disguised herself as a man, reports Monaco-Matin. French newspaper Le Figaro claimed, citing sources, that the suspect may be Ukrainian.
The suspect's name has not been announced.
Monaco issued a "red notice" via Interpol — an international arrest warrant — for the suspect on the evening of July 2. The suspect is allegedly located in Germany, and Monaco's public prosecutor is expected to provide additional information on July 3.
The motive for the attack remains unknown, but Monaco-Matin mentions that Iermolaiev's son, Artur, was arrested in Cyprus in December 2025 over links to scam call centers that defrauded some $114 million from victims.
The paper reports that Artur Iermolaiev was released on an 8.5 million euro ($9.7 million) bail.
President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed sanctions on Iermolaiev in 2023, subjecting the multimillionaire to asset freezes and requiring him to cease all financial operations in Ukraine for 10 years.
The French Riviera became a popular destination for wealthy Ukrainian families following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda dubbed this group the "Monaco Battalion" in a video investigation published in August 2022. Iermolaiev was featured in the investigation.
