Woman suspected of Monaco bombing found shot dead near Kyiv
A Ukrainian woman wanted by Interpol for a bombing in Monaco has been found dead in Kyiv, with two suspects, including a military intelligence officer, detained.
Woman suspected of Monaco bombing found shot dead near Kyiv
A Ukrainian woman suspected of planting a bomb that targeted a wealthy Ukrainian-born businessman in Monaco has been found shot dead in the capital of Ukraine, the country's prosecutor general's office announced Tuesday.
The body of 39-year-old Anastasiia Berezovska was discovered around 11.00pm on July 6, approximately one week after a blast in the lobby of an apartment building on Rue Révérend Père Louis Frolla. Ukrainian prosecutors stated that Berezovska was found with a gunshot wound to the head.
Authorities have detained two suspects in connection with her death. According to a statement from Ukraine's National Security Service (SBU), one suspect is a current employee of the military intelligence service (HUR) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the other is a former law enforcement officer. The HUR officer allegedly admitted to killing Berezovska in collaboration with the former officer, though he claimed he had acted at his own discretion and did not inform his superiors of his contacts with the woman.
The SBU stated that Berezovska arrived in Ukraine on July 1, the day after the bombing. Investigators found she had communicated with her family and the two men, who had repeatedly made transfers to her bank and cryptocurrency accounts. During a search of the former law enforcement officer's home, the security agency reported the discovery of a basement room that resembled a torture chamber, containing hammers and other equipment.
Berezovska had been the subject of an Interpol Red Notice issued on Friday. She was wanted in Monaco on charges of attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, and placing an explosive device in a public place with criminal intent. The notice described her as a Ukrainian national who speaks German and has a tattoo, possibly of a snake, on her right arm from the shoulder to the elbow.
The original attack on June 29 occurred around 9pm local time. A rucksack containing a remotely detonated explosive device was triggered via a mobile phone as the victims entered their apartment building. CCTV footage showed the suspect, who wore a black bucket hat, walking around the area several times while waiting for the targets. Authorities believe she disguised herself as a man during the operation.
The blast targeted 58-year-old Vadim Ermolaev, a businessman originally from Ukraine and now a Cypriot national, along with his partner, Anna Nasobina, and their 13-year-old son, Ariel. Ermolaev and Nasobina were seriously wounded; Nasobina is currently fighting for her life after her legs were amputated. Ermolaev recently emerged from a coma. The son sustained minor burns and shrapnel injuries and is providing evidence to investigators.
Monaco's deputy prosecutor Morgan Raymond stated that the sophistication of the device and the modus operandi suggested the attacker did not act alone. Following the explosion, investigators believe Berezovska fled on foot into the French town of Beausoleil, then drove through Italy and other European countries to Germany. German police in the Main-Taunus district previously searched a rented flat and vehicle belonging to the woman, securing evidence for Monaco authorities.
The investigation has surfaced potential motives linked to financial crime. Sources suggest the bombing may have been retaliation by a criminal network. Ermolaev and his 35-year-old son, Artur, are alleged to have been involved in a network of fraudulent call centres in Dnipro that defrauded investors in Estonia, Germany, and Ukraine of more than €100m between 2019 and 2022 through fake cryptocurrency schemes. Artur was previously extradited to Estonia and handed a suspended sentence after being accused of creating a criminal organization. Both father and son deny any wrongdoing.
The incident has caused significant alarm in Monaco. Prince Albert II described the bombing as an odious act
and mobilized all public services to ensure security.
The case arrives at a sensitive political moment for Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at a Nato summit on Tuesday to seek western support while Russia continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. The potential link between Ukrainian intelligence members and a bombing on European soil is viewed as deeply damaging, particularly following recent accusations by German prosecutors regarding Ukrainian state involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline attacks.
