An explosion at the entrance of a residential building in Monaco on the evening of 29 June injured three people: Ukrainian-born businessman Vadym Yermolaiev, a woman, and a 13-year-old boy. The device, concealed in a backpack, was detonated remotely as the family approached their home in the Place des Moulins district, according to the Monaco prosecutor’s office. All three were hospitalised; the woman, identified by multiple French media outlets as Anna Nasobina, Yermolaiev’s companion, suffered the most severe injuries and underwent amputation of both legs. The boy, Yermolaiev’s son, sustained light wounds, while the businessman himself was treated for burns and shrapnel injuries and is not in a life-threatening condition.

The investigation shifted markedly after initial reports described a male suspect. French media, citing sources close to the inquiry, now report that the principal suspect is a woman of Ukrainian nationality, approximately 30 years old and resident in Germany. She is believed to have disguised herself as a man during the attack, wearing a black vest, white trousers, and a dark hat. The Monaco prosecutor’s office confirmed that an international arrest warrant has been issued and that the suspect has been located in a European country other than France or Monaco; Italian media suggest she may have crossed into Italy. A man detained briefly on 1 July was released without charge.

Yermolaiev, a former member of the Ukrainian Forbes list, renounced his Ukrainian citizenship in 2017 and now holds a Cypriot passport. In 2023, Kyiv imposed personal sanctions on him, alleging he continued business operations in Russian-occupied Crimea and paid taxes to the Russian budget. French and Ukrainian media have reported that Yermolaiev was preparing to address the European Parliament on corruption in Ukraine, a claim that has not been independently verified. The businessman’s wife, who was not in Monaco at the time, confirmed to Ukrainian state radio that she was unharmed.

Investigators are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry. French judicial sources, cited by Le Figaro and BFMTV, say the probe is examining possible involvement of Ukrainian organised crime or foreign state interference, with some reports pointing to a potential link to Ukraine’s SBU security service. Russian foreign ministry officials have publicly blamed Ukrainian special services, while the Ukrainian embassy in France stated it is coordinating with local authorities. The Monaco prosecutor has classified the case as attempted murder and has not ruled out any motive. No formal charges have been filed, and the suspect remains at large as international police cooperation continues.