Manhunt launched after parcel bomb injures Ukrainian oligarch in Monaco
On the evening of 28 June, a parcel bomb detonated at a residential building on Rue Révérend Père Louis Frolla in Monaco, injuring wealthy Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolaiev and two other residents. The blast was captured on building‑surveillance cameras and the attacker was seen dropping a backpack before the explosion.
Emergency services in the French city of Nice treated two victims in critical condition, one of whom, Yermolaiev, sustained severe injuries. A woman was the most seriously hurt. A further four people received treatment for shock and cuts from shattered shop windows.
Monaco’s chief prosecutor, Stéphane Thibault, characterised the incident as an attempted murder rather than a terrorist attack and stated that the suspect had fled across the border into France, specifically the commune of Beausoleil, where police are now racing to locate him. Video footage shows the attacker walking away on foot immediately after the blast.
Yermolaiev, 58, is a real‑estate developer originally from Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth‑largest city. He now holds Cypriot nationality and has significant financial interests in Crimea’s wine and alcohol industries, leading to sanctions by Kyiv since 2023. Forbes named him the 39th richest Ukrainian in 2020 with an estimated fortune of $230 million.
Monaco’s head of government, Christophe Mirmand, described the episode as an unprecedented “heinous crime” that shocked the entire community. Prince Albert II called it a “shock to the whole principality.” The incident marks the first violent act in Monaco’s history.
Over 100 police and emergency responders were dispatched to the scene, with helicopters hovering from the night of the blast. Local resident Harri Richie recalled hearing an “unbelievably loud explosion” in an underground car park and witnessing wounded people being moved by emergency teams. The incident has triggered heightened security vigilance across the French‑Monaco border.
Authorities continue to gather evidence, and the manhunt is ongoing as the suspect may still be in the Beausoleil area. Residents are urged to remain calm and report any suspicious activity. The case remains under investigation by both Monaco and French law‑enforcement agencies, with international media covering the evolving story.
