Parcel bomb blast in Monaco wounds Ukrainian oligarch and two others

A parcel bomb blast rocked Monaco on Monday at around 9 pm, injuring Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev and two other people in a residential building located on a street along the border with France. The couple, aged in their 50s or 60s, suffered life-threatening injuries, while a 13-year-old teenager, believed to be related to the couple, sustained less serious wounds. Prince Albert II described the incident as a “heinous crime” and “a shock to the entire Monegasque community.”

The suspect fled the scene and was seen on surveillance video heading toward the French municipality of Beausoleil. He had left a bag or package in the building’s lobby before the explosion. The explosive device contained bolts and buckshot, according to Monaco’s minister of state, Christophe Mirmand. About 50 firefighters and 80 security personnel were deployed at the scene. Four other people were treated for shock and cuts from shattered windows.

Mirmand said this was the first such attack in Monaco’s history. Intelligence services are working to understand the victims’ background and determine if others face specific threats. Yermolaiev, a multimillionaire Monaco resident, has been under Ukrainian sanctions since December 2023, reportedly due to his alcohol business activities in Russian-occupied Crimea. Prosecutor Stephane Thibault said there is no indication yet why the building was targeted. Another press briefing is expected on Tuesday.