Ukrainian prosecutors have released surveillance footage depicting the June 30 bombing in Monaco that resulted in serious injuries to tycoon Vadym Yermolaiev and his family. The attack, which occurred in the affluent Mediterranean principality, has triggered a complex investigation involving authorities from Monaco, France, Ukraine, and the international police agency Interpol. While the motive for the incident remains unknown, the released video provides a chilling look at the event.
In the footage, a person wearing a hat and carrying a bag is seen placing an object in a building's entryway before walking away. Shortly after, a man, a woman, and a child are observed climbing a nearby hill. As the three individuals approach the entryway, an explosion occurs, and the video feed turns into a blur. Ruslan Kravchenko, Ukraine’s chief prosecutor, stated in a Telegram post that the footage was recovered by SBU specialists after it had been deleted by the perpetrators, who had installed the camera to confirm the attack's success.
The investigation has also touched upon the fate of the suspected perpetrator, Anastasiia Berezovska, who was discovered dead in Ukraine shortly after the attack. According to the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), a military intelligence officer confessed to killing Berezovska, claiming he acted independently without the knowledge of his superiors. Meanwhile, lawyers representing Yermolaiev have accused Ukrainian security services of orchestrating the assassination attempt in a letter sent to French media. In the correspondence, Yermolaiev detailed his ongoing hospitalization, noting that his partner, Anna, sustained "irreversible" injuries, while their 13-year-old son suffered from burns and fractures.
Despite these accusations, the letter expressed gratitude toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his personal attention and assistance in the case. Yermolaiev, who was sanctioned by the Ukrainian government in 2023 due to his ties to Russia, has reportedly renounced his Ukrainian citizenship. As of now, the Monaco prosecutor's office has not provided a comment regarding the status of the investigation or the newly released video evidence, and President Zelenskyy has not addressed claims regarding his involvement in the case.
