An attempt on the life of businessman Vadim Ermolaev is being investigated in Monaco

There were no fatalities as a result of the explosion. Three people were injured: former Ukrainian businessman Vadim Ermolaev, a woman and a 13-year-old teenager. The woman, according to media reports, was most seriously injured and is in critical condition. The man and child were hospitalized; according to the latest data, their lives are not in immediate danger. The identities of the woman and the teenager have not been officially released. In publications in French and other media they appear as Ermolaev’s companion and son, but there is no official confirmation of this data yet.

Vadim Ermolaev is a native of Dnieper, the founder of the Alef group, who was previously included in the rankings of the richest Ukrainians. In recent years, he renounced Ukrainian citizenship and received Cypriot citizenship. In 2023, Ukraine imposed sanctions against him, accusing him of ties to Russia and business in the occupied territories. Ermolaev himself denied these accusations, claiming that after the annexation of Crimea, Russia actually took away his assets.

The Monaco prosecutor’s office is investigating the case as attempted murder and illegal trafficking in explosives. The version of the terrorist attack, according to local authorities, is not being considered at this stage. The suspect has not yet been detained.

Some Western and Ukrainian media are discussing the possible connection of the attack with the story surrounding Ermolaev’s son, Artur Ermolaev. The Guardian writes that he was detained in Cyprus at the request of Interpol, extradited to Estonia and accused there of creating a criminal organization that engaged in telephone fraud through call centers in Ukraine. According to the British publication, the damage was estimated at more than 100 million euros. Ermolaev Jr. made a deal with the investigation, received a suspended sentence, paid 8.5 million euros and left Estonia. Officially, this line has not yet been named by the Monaco investigation as the motive for the assassination attempt.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported that Ukrainian diplomats are on the spot and are providing consular assistance, while the identities of the victims and their Ukrainian citizenship are being clarified through official channels. There have been no substantive statements from the Russian authorities on this case at the moment.