Ukrainian businessman Vadim Yermolayev (58) was seriously wounded on the evening of June 29 when a homemade bomb placed at the entrance of his Monaco residence exploded. Yermolayev's wife and their 13-year-old son were also injured in the blast.
The wounded were taken to hospitals in Nice, France, for treatment. Yermolayev's wife received the most serious injuries, with both legs amputated in the explosion; her condition was reported as life-threatening. Yermolayev sustained burns and shrapnel wounds, while their son was reported to have minor injuries.
The Monaco prosecutor's office ruled out the initial possibility of a terrorist attack and began investigating the case as attempted murder. According to officials, the explosive device, packed with bolts and pellets, was left in a bag at the entrance of the building in the city center.
Security cameras reportedly recorded a dark-clothed person leaving the bag and fleeing. The suspect was said to have escaped towards Beausoleil, near the French border, and police lost track of the individual in a dead-end street, with the search continuing with helicopter support.
Yermolayev is known as the founder of the Alef group of companies, established in Dnipro, Ukraine. In December 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky placed the businessman on a sanctions list, citing the continued operation of alcohol businesses linked to him in the occupied Crimea region.
The person or group behind the attack has not yet been identified. It was noted that the investigation is being coordinated by the authorities of Monaco and France, with official statements on the motive and identity of the perpetrator awaited.