Monaco bomb attack suspect found dead in Ukraine

Monaco bomb attack suspect found dead in Ukraine

A Ukrainian woman suspected of carrying out a parcel bombing in Monaco was found shot dead in the Kyiv region, Ukraine's prosecutor general's office confirmed on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. The discovery brings an abrupt end to a cross-border manhunt for Anastasiia Berezovska, 39, who had been the subject of an Interpol Red Notice.

The body of Berezovska was discovered buried in a forest around 11:00 p.m. On Monday, July 6, with gunshot wounds to the head. According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the prosecutor general, she had arrived in Ukraine on July 1, two days after the attack in Monaco.

Intelligence officer detained

Ukraine's national police detained two individuals on suspicion of murdering Berezovska. One suspect is a serving officer within the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) of the Ministry of Defence, and the other is a former law enforcement officer. Both men have been charged with intentional murder committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons.

The intelligence officer confessed to the killing, stating he had acted at his own discretion and had not informed his superiors of his contacts with Berezovska or the transfers of money he made to her bank and cryptocurrency accounts. Investigators were examining the two men as potential accomplices in the Monaco attack due to these financial transfers.

During a search of the former law enforcement officer's home in the Kyiv region, police discovered a basement room resembling a torture chamber. The room contained a mat with spots of blood, a pickaxe, two axes, a large bag, and tarpaulin. However, the prosecutor general stated there was no evidence the room was used in Berezovska's case, suggesting the room instead reflected the profile of the suspect.

The Monaco attack

Berezovska was the prime suspect in a bombing that occurred on June 29 shortly after 21:00 local time. A remotely detonated explosive device concealed in a bag was triggered in the entrance hall of an apartment building. Monaco's deputy prosecutor Morgan Raymond stated that Berezovska had spent days casing the residence and was disguised as a man during the attack.

The blast targeted Vadym Yermolaiev, 58, a Cypriot national and wealthy businessman born in Ukraine. Yermolaiev, who emerged from a coma following the blast, was accompanied by his partner, Anna Nasobina, 46, and his 13-year-old son, Ariel. Nasobina remains in serious condition and fighting for her life after her legs were amputated. Ariel suffered minor burns and shrapnel injuries and has been providing evidence to prosecutors.

Prince Albert II described the bombing as a heinous crime and an odious act. Monaco authorities have not officially confirmed the victims' identities, though they have been widely named in media reports.

International manhunt and motives

Following the explosion, surveillance footage showed a figure in a black bucket hat fleeing on foot across the border into Beausoleil, France. Investigators believe Berezovska then traveled through Italy and into Germany. On Thursday, July 3, German police searched a rented apartment and seized a vehicle in the Main-Taunus district of Hesse. Interpol identified the suspect by a large tattoo, believed to be a snake, on her right arm.

The motive for the attack is suspected to be linked to a criminal network of fraudulent call centres in Dnipro, Ukraine. These "boiler room" operations allegedly defrauded investors in Estonia, Germany, and Ukraine of more than €100m between 2019 and 2022 using fake cryptocurrency schemes. While Yermolaiev is alleged to have handled the financial side, his 35-year-old son, Artur, allegedly ran the network. Artur was arrested by Interpol in Cyprus in late 2025 and later received a suspended sentence in Estonia.

Both Yermolaiev and his son deny any wrongdoing. Yermolaiev, a real estate developer, has been under sanctions from the Kyiv government since 2023 due to business interests in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian authorities have shared all available findings and information with Monaco officials. Law enforcement continues to work to identify other suspects involved in the attack.