Interpol Names Suspect In Monaco Bombing Reportedly Injured Russian-Linked Billionaire
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Interpol on Friday identified a 39-year-old Ukrainian woman as the main suspect in the bombing in Monaco that is believed to have targeted a Ukrainian tycoon with ties to Russia.
The police organization named Anastasiia Berezovska, who is still at large, in a “red notice” posted on its website – wants her arrested on charges of attempted murder, placing an explosive in a public place with intent to commit a crime, and criminal conspiracy.
Authorities in Monaco have not identified any of the three injured in Monday's explosion at the building's entrance but said they were a family and appeared to have been targeted.
Media reports named Ukrainian midfielder Vadym Yermolaiev as one of the injured. He said he renounced his Ukrainian citizenship nearly a decade ago, and was targeted by Ukraine sanctions in 2023 because of ties to Russia.
A woman and a child were injured. One of the victims is in a life-threatening condition, prosecutors said Friday, citing other “collateral victims” who suffered minor injuries in the attack.
The Interpol notice says Berezovska has a tattoo, possibly of a snake, on her right arm from shoulder to elbow. It says he was born in Ukraine, has dark hair and speaks German.
Morgan Raymond, deputy prosecutor in Monaco, told a press conference that the bomb was detonated remotely, using a remote control. The remains of the bomb are being analyzed in neighboring France, he said.
He mentioned that the suspect suspected of detonating the bomb was initially described as a man with a heavy build, wearing a black top with long sleeves, light colored shorts and a black bucket hat. An extensive review of CCTV footage from the previous days and witness testimony has redirected the investigation towards the woman who was disguised as a man.
The Interpol notice includes two photos of a woman wearing a white T-shirt with black stripes, one of which is on the street where she is holding what appears to be some kind of electrical device, following a cord with her left hand.
The bomb's sophistication and “modus operandi suggest that the person who planted the device did not act alone,” Raymond said.
Two men were arrested by police as part of the investigation, but both have since been released.
Detectives also identified a rental car with German license plates used by Berezovska in Monaco. His path was followed after the explosion, from France to Italy and then through several European countries to the country where he lived. Raymond said his final address is in Germany, “a country where legal cooperation is very effective.”
German police, including special forces, on Thursday searched the rented apartment near Frankfurt of a 39-year-old Ukrainian woman in connection with the investigation, police and prosecutors said in a statement on Friday.
The car used by the woman was also searched and secured, they added, and the evidence will be given to the Monaco authorities. They said the woman is in a state of emergency and at this time they cannot provide more information.
The attack shocked the country on the Mediterranean coast, which is one of the smallest independent states and is known for its rich population. Prince Albert II of Monaco described it as an “outrageous act” and said that all public services were mobilized to ensure safety.
Ukraine is believed to have attacked and targeted Russian civilians during the war, although those attacks were confined to Ukrainian or Russian territory.
In December 2024, Ukrainian security forces claimed responsibility for the assassination of the head of the Russian military's nuclear, biological and chemical forces.
Western intelligence officials have recently said that Russia has launched a campaign of targeted assassinations since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
