Explosion in Monaco reportedly wounds Ukrainian tycoon with ties to Russia

Explosion at Monaco residential building

An explosion at the entrance of a residential building in Monaco injured three people on June 29, in an incident authorities say may have been deliberately targeted.

Monaco prosecutor Stéphane Thibault said the suspect fled the scene on foot. Investigators have not publicly established a motive, but officials believe the family may have been singled out.

The blast happened at a building entrance in the wealthy principality on the French Riviera, near the border with France. Local officials described the episode as unprecedented, and the case quickly drew in French authorities as the search for the suspect crossed into neighboring territory.

Injured family members

Media reports identified one of the injured as Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolaiev, who has been sanctioned by Ukraine over ties to Russia. AP reported that the wounded woman was his partner and that she remained in critical condition in France, while Yermolaiev and a 13-year-old child were less seriously hurt.

Other reporting did not publicly confirm the woman’s identity, underscoring how much about the victims still depends on media identification rather than a full official release. Authorities have not yet publicly detailed all of the injured by name.

The initial reports suggested the blast was not random. Officials and investigators have treated the case as a suspected attack rather than an accident, with AP and other outlets describing it as an attempted murder or deliberate assault.

How the case unfolded

The sequence described by investigators began with a suspect seen leaving a backpack at the building entrance before fleeing on foot. Surveillance footage reviewed by journalists and authorities pointed toward a route toward France, helping explain the cross-border police response.

El País first reported the explosion on June 29 and said Monaco authorities described it as intentional. The Guardian later reported that three people were injured and that the blast likely involved a device containing bolts and buckshot, adding to the view that the explosion was planned.

AP’s reporting on June 30 identified Yermolaiev as the injured businessman and said investigators believed the family had been deliberately targeted. A subsequent Guardian report also identified him as the likely target and outlined his background as a Ukrainian-born businessman whose affairs have drawn scrutiny.

Investigation and open questions

Monaco’s prosecutor has said the suspect remains at large, and the motive is still unclear. Investigators are trying to determine who planted the device and whether the attack was directed specifically at Yermolaiev or at the family more broadly.

Ukraine’s embassy in France is assisting with the investigation, according to AP, and French police are involved because the suspect is believed to have fled toward France. Authorities have not publicly announced a terrorism charge.

The main unresolved question is whether the attack is linked to Yermolaiev’s business history, his sanctions status, or some other personal or commercial dispute. For now, officials are treating the episode as a serious violent attack with international implications, not as a routine criminal incident.

The case is expected to develop as investigators identify the suspect, review the device used in the blast, and clarify the condition and identities of the injured family members.