Interpol names Ukrainian woman as suspect in Monaco bombing

Interpol names Ukrainian woman as suspect in Monaco bombing

Interpol has identified a 39-year-old Ukrainian woman, Anastasiia Berezovska, as the main suspect in a bombing in Monaco that reportedly targeted a Ukrainian tycoon with links to Russia. The attack, which occurred on Monday, seriously injured three people, including a 13-year-old child, and shocked the small Mediterranean principality known for its high concentration of wealthy residents.

According to Monaco's deputy public prosecutor, Morgan Raymond, the bomb was detonated from a distance using a remote control, and its remains are being analyzed in neighboring France. The suspect, who is still at large, is wanted for attempted murder, placing an explosive device in a public place with criminal intent, and criminal conspiracy.

Berezovska, who speaks German and has a tattoo of a snake on her right arm, was initially identified as a heavily built person appearing to be male, wearing a dark long-sleeved top, light-colored shorts, and a black bucket hat. However, a broader review of CCTV footage from previous days and testimony from a witness redirected the investigation toward a woman disguised as a man.

The Interpol notice includes two photos of Berezovska, one of which shows her holding an electronic device with a cable in her left hand. Investigators have also identified a rented vehicle fitted with German license plates used by the suspect in Monaco, and her escape route has been traced from France into Italy and then across several European countries to her country of residence, which is believed to be Germany.

German police, including special forces, searched the rented apartment of a 39-year-old Ukrainian woman in connection with the investigation on Thursday and secured evidence, which will be handed over to authorities in Monaco. The woman is currently on the run, and an international arrest warrant has been issued.

Monaco's Prince Albert II has described the incident as "an odious act" and said all public services were mobilized to ensure security.

Ukraine is believed to have carried out attacks and targeted killings of Russian figures in the course of the war, although those attacks have largely been confined to Ukrainian or Russian territory. Western intelligence officials have recently said that Russia has ramped up a campaign of targeted killings since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The investigation into the bombing is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine whether Berezovska had accomplices or acted on behalf of someone else. The relative sophistication of the explosive device and the modus operandi suggest that the person who planted the device did not act alone, according to Raymond.