Ukrainian prosecutors released video evidence of what they claim is the bombing in Monaco that severely injured tycoon Vadym Yermolaiev and his family. The June 30 attack shook the quiet and ultra-wealthy principality on the Mediterranean coast. The motive remains unknown, and the case has involved investigators from Monaco, France, and Ukraine, along with the international police agency Interpol.
Anastasiia Berezovska, the alleged perpetrator, was found dead in Ukraine days later. A Ukrainian military intelligence officer confessed to killing her, stating he acted alone without his superiors’ knowledge, according to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
The video provided to The Associated Press shows an individual wearing a hat and carrying a bag placing an object at a building entrance and then walking away. In the background, a man, a woman, and a child walk up a hill. As they approach the entrance, an explosion occurs, and the video becomes blurry.
Ukrainian Prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko mentioned in a Telegram post that the video was from a surveillance camera installed by the alleged perpetrators to ensure the attack’s success. Although initially deleted, SBU specialists managed to restore it. The Monaco prosecutor’s office has not responded to requests for comments on the video or the investigation’s status.
Yermolaiev’s lawyers released a letter this week accusing Ukrainian security services of orchestrating the explosion and requesting protection for his family. In the letter, shared with French media, Yermolaiev claimed that the Ukrainian military intelligence agency was directly involved in an attempt to kill his family. He stated that he remains hospitalized, his partner Anna suffers “irreversible” injuries, and their 13-year-old son has burns and fractures.
Unusually, the letter thanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his personal attention to the case and unspecified assistance, as reported by French press. The Zelenskyy government sanctioned Yermolaiev in 2023 due to his ties to Russia, and Yermolaiev has renounced his Ukrainian citizenship. Zelenskyy has not commented on whether he provided help in the case.