A Ukrainian woman has been identified as the main suspect for a parcel bombing in Monaco that seriously wounded a sanctioned Ukrainian multi-millionaire and two others.
Monaco’s deputy public prosecutor told reporters that Anastasiia Berezovska, 39, is suspected to have been “disguised as a man” and may not have acted alone.
An Interpol Red Notice has been issued for Berezovska, who speaks German and is wanted for attempted murder, placing an explosive device on a public road with criminal intent, and criminal conspiracy.
Just before 21:00 (19:00 GMT) on Monday, an individual left a package in the entrance hall of a small apartment building, followed by an explosion shortly afterwards.
Police are looking into identifying any possible accomplices as they continue to search for the named suspect.
Officials in Monaco believe Berezovska had spent some days casing out the residence.
The explosion happened just as three residents were entering the building on Monday evening, a couple and a 13-year-old.
Deputy public prosecutor Morgan Raymond said the suspect, pictured on CCTV cameras wearing a dark bucket hat, left the scene on foot but then is believed to have picked up a hire car and driven to Italy and on to Germany.
Interpol’s photo of Berezovska shows a woman with dark shoulder-length hair. The notice adds that she has a tattoo on her right arm which is “possibly” depicting a snake.
Monaco’s prosecutor thanked police from Monaco and France for their co-operation which made it possible “to identify, in a particularly short time, the person suspected of having carried out the attack”.
Meanwhile in Germany, Hessian Police confirmed in a statement that special forces searched the rented apartment of a 39-year-old Ukrainian woman in the Main-Taunus district on Thursday.
A vehicle she used was also searched and seized.
“Evidence has been secured and will be handed over to the Monegasque authorities. The Hessian security authorities are supporting the Monegasque authorities in their investigations and are in close contact with them,” the statement said.
“The woman being sought is currently on the run. An international arrest warrant has been issued.”
Prince Albert II of Monaco has described the incident as a “heinous crime”.
The three victims, who included a 13-year-old, have been treated in hospital.
The adults were seriously wounded and taken to the Nice University Hospital (CHU), while the child, who suffered minor injuries, was admitted in a non-critical condition to the Lenval children’s hospital in Nice.
On Wednesday, the man was no longer in a life-or-death situation, but the woman’s condition had not yet stabilised, AFP news agency reported.
The victims’ identities have not been confirmed by Monaco authorities, but according to local reports, the attack targeted Vadym Yermolaiev, his partner and his son.
Yermolaiev, 58, is a wealthy real estate developer, who has been living in Monaco. He is a Cypriot citizen after renouncing his Ukrainian citizenship in 2019.
He has big interests in the wine and alcohol business in Russian-annexed Crimea, and since 2023 has been the subject of sanctions imposed by the government in Kyiv.
He was named the 39th richest Ukrainian by Forbes magazine in 2020, with a fortune of $230m (£173.8m).
Source: BBC
