MONACO — The key suspect in a parcel bomb attack that wounded a Ukrainian multi-millionaire and two others on Monday in Monaco is a Ukrainian woman who disguised herself as a man, local authorities say.
Monaco’s prosecutor’s office said an arrest warrant has been issued for the suspect, named as 39-year-old Anastasiia Berezovska, who they say is a foreign national and no longer in Monaco. An Interpol red notice was also being issued, they added.
Berezovska last resided in Germany and has a tattoo, possibly of a snake, running down her right arm from her shoulder to elbow.
After the attack, the suspect fled to neighboring France, then drove to Italy in a German-registered car which had been rented for the operation, prosecutors added.
A package left in the entrance of an apartment building on Monday evening exploded shortly afterward.
After the explosion near Monaco’s border with France, a suspect was seen fleeing toward the French commune of Beausoleil.CCTV cameras pictured a figure in a dark bucket hat and French media report it was a Ukrainian woman in her 30s.
The sophistication of the bomb used indicates that more than one perpetrator was involved, prosecutors said, adding that two men were arrested in Monaco before being released due to lack of evidence.
The main suspect has been the subject of a manhunt ever since the bomb exploded four days ago in the entranceway of one of Monaco’s fanciest apartment buildings, targeting Ukrainian-born businessman Vadym Yermolaiev, according to BFMTV.
The three victims, who included a 13-year-old, have been treated in hospital and the two adults were initially said to be in a critical condition.
The victims’ identities have not been confirmed by Monaco authorities, but according to local reports, the attack targeted Yermolaiev, his partner and his son.
On Wednesday, the man was no longer in a life-or-death situation, but the woman’s condition had not yet stabilized, AFP reports. The 13-year-old suffered minor injuries.
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 business interests 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 $230 million.
Source: Saudi Gazette