Police in Monaco and France are searching for a suspected bomber after an explosion on Monday evening wounded three people in the wealthy principality. Two sources familiar with the investigation said the attack targeted Ukrainian-born oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev.
Attack Details and Victims
Monaco prosecutor Stephane Thibault said the suspect is believed to have fled on foot to France following the attack, which involved a parcel bomb. The explosion occurred shortly before three residents of a ground-floor flat arrived at the building. The woman, identified by sources as Yermolaiev's partner, was badly wounded from the waist down and remains in critical condition. Yermolaiev's condition is no longer deemed critical, and his son suffered less serious injuries. All three are still hospitalized.
A source familiar with the investigation confirmed the injured couple were Yermolaiev and his partner. Yermolaiev, who was given Cypriot nationality in 2019, was placed under Ukrainian sanctions in 2023 for allegedly doing business in Russian-occupied Crimea, according to Ukrainian media. The Ukrainian embassy in Paris said it is checking the identity and nationality of those involved.
Investigation and Manhunt
Thibault declined to confirm the victims' identities, as they have not yet been interviewed by police. He noted that the man wounded in the attack had lived in Monaco since at least 2021. The attacker left a parcel in front of the building, which exploded when the victims arrived. The suspect is suspected of attempted murder.
"In coordination with the French authorities, we are pursuing efforts to identify and apprehend him. I hope that will happen quickly, given the resources we are deploying," Thibault said at a press conference. Monaco, known for its tight security and luxury lifestyle, has no border checks with France, complicating the search.
Official Reactions
Prince Albert of Monaco described the attack as "an odious act" that shocked everyone in the principality. The incident follows a February arrest in Germany of a person suspected of killing a former pro-Russian Ukrainian politician outside a school in a wealthy Madrid suburb in 2025.
