A blast at the entrance of a residential building in Monaco near the border to France resulted in three people being injured, two of them critically, the authorities said.
What do we know so far?
Among those injured are Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev, AFP news agency reported. In addition, a woman was also wounded. Both she and Yermolaiev are in life-threatening condition.
A 13-year-old who was “likely related to the couple” was also injured, Monaco’s Minister of State Christophe Mirmand said, with four other people suffering from shock and cuts as a result of broken windows.
Mirmand described the incident as a “deliberate explosion.”
Monaco’s Prince Albert II labeled the incident as a “heinous crime” and a “shock to the entire Monegasque community.”
The mayor of Nice, located on the French side of the border with Monaco, expressed solidarity with the emergency services, calling the incident a “tragedy that strikes Monaco.”
According to media reports, the blast came as a result of an explosive device which contained bolts and buckshot.
A person was seen placing a backpack at the location before fleeing, French outlet BFMTV reported, citing local security authorities, with CCTV footage showing a man wearing a dark hat running. Public prosecutor Stephane Thibault said the suspect had placed the bag in the building’s lobby.
Minister of State Mirmand said the suspect crossed the border into France on foot after the attack.
He said the suspect had been caught on video surveillance in Monaco and the neighboring French town of Beausoleil.
Who is Vadym Yermolaiev?
Yermolaiev has been subject to sanctions by his native Ukraine since December 2023. The sanctions were imposed over his alcohol business activity in Russian-occupied Crimea, Ukrainian security services reportedly said.
The Ukrainian multimillionaire resides in Monaco.
The French authorities joined forces with their Monaco counterparts to locate the suspect, who is still at large.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
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