Monaco and French authorities have begun a coordinated cross-border manhunt after a strong blast injured three individuals including a renowned Ukrainian businessman, in what detectives suspect was a premeditated attack that has rocked the tiny Mediterranean principality.
The explosion took place just before 9 p.m. Monday at the entrance to a residential complex on the border with France, close to Monaco. Officials stated the blast was caused by an explosive device planted at the scene moments earlier, making it one of the most significant security incidents in recent Monaco history.
Two people and a 13-year-old girl were critically injured in the incident and taken by ambulance to hospitals in the nearby French city of Nice for emergency treatment, Monaco’s Minister of State Christophe Mirmand said. French and Ukrainian media have identified Ukrainian construction mogul Vadym Iermolaiev among the injured, but police have not formally confirmed his identity.
Investigators said the incident was well thought out. Surveillance cameras purportedly showed a man with a rucksack entering the residential building and then exiting rapidly. Minutes later the explosive exploded with terrible intensity, smashing windows and spreading debris over the surrounding neighbourhood. Neighbours said they heard a tremendous explosion that rang through the neighbourhood, then saw scenes of panic as people ran outside.
The suspect fled on foot and crossed into the neighbouring French town of Beausoleil, authorities added. Now police from Monaco and France are joining forces to track him down using CCTV footage and other forensic evidence. No arrests have been announced, although extra officers from the French national police have been sent to help with the investigation.
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Prince Albert II, the ruler of Monaco, sharply condemned the incident, calling it as a “odious act” and assuring people that all security and emergency services had been mobilised. Officials said attacks of this sort are almost unheard of in Monaco, one of the wealthiest and safest countries in the world.
Investigators have not determined a motive, but various media sites stated that the injured businessman, Vadym Iermolaiev, was sanctioned by Ukraine in 2023 over supposed economic ties to Russia after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But authorities have stressed that it is too early to determine if the blast was politically motivated, connected to organised crime or driven by other factors.
Investigators are looking for fragments of the explosive device, which French media characterised as a handmade parcel bomb allegedly filled with metal pieces to increase its destructive power. Forensic teams and bomb disposal experts spent hours collecting evidence from the scene, while adjacent streets were shut off overnight.
The event is all the more concerning, security experts say, because Monaco has long prided itself on extremely low crime rates despite being home to many wealthy business executives, celebrities and international investors. Authorities have been reviewing security surrounding residential areas and the security of high-profile individuals living in the principality.
Authorities have requested the public’s cooperation with any information that may lead to the identification of the suspect while the investigation proceeds. Two of the three victims are in critical condition and all three remain hospitalised. Officials say their major focus remains on finding the rationale behind the attack and arresting the culprit.
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