By Manon Cruz
MONACO, June 30 (Reuters) - Police were searching for a suspected bomber on Tuesday after three people were wounded by an explosion in the wealthy principality of Monaco which French and Ukrainian media said was an attack on a Ukrainian-born oligarch.
A manhunt was under way in Monaco and neighbouring France after the explosive device went off on Monday evening in Monaco, which is known for its casino and luxury yachts, its tight security and the luxury lifestyle of its super-rich residents.
The suspect was believed to have fled to France, Christophe Mirmand, minister of state of Monaco, told BFM TV.
The principality is surrounded by the sea on one side and France on the other, and there are no border checks between the two countries. Italy is also close.
The three main victims were still in hospital, Mirmand said, adding that a woman, whom he did not name, was the most seriously hurt. Local newspaper Monaco Matin said part of her lower limbs were blown away by the explosion.
French and Ukrainian media said the target of the attack was Vadym Yermolaiev, who was once a real estate developer in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. He left Ukraine several years ago, renounced his Ukrainian citizenship and became a citizen of Cyprus.
Yermolaiev was placed under Ukrainian sanctions in December 2023, which Ukrainian media say was for doing business in Russian-occupied Crimea. In an interview with Ukrainian media RBC-Ukraine in 2024, Yermolaiev denied that he owned or ran any business in Crimea.
Mirmand did not confirm or deny Yermolaiev was the target of the attack.
Asked about the victim’s health, Mirmand said he would be further taken care of in hospital in nearby Nice or in Marseille. A young man was less seriously hurt, he added.
Other local authorities declined to confirm the identity of the victims or give any further detail of the investigation.
TRACKING DOWN THE SUSPECT
Prince Albert of Monaco described the attack as “an odious act,” which he said was a shock for all in Monaco.
Monaco was working in close coordination with French authorities to track down the suspect, he said.
French media said video surveillance images showed a man dropping a backpack at the entrance of a residential building shortly before the explosion. Monaco Matin showed a CCTV picture of the man it said was the suspect, wearing a dark hat and top and carrying a white bag on his shoulder.
BFM TV described the explosive device as a “parcel bomb”, citing the principality’s prosecutor general.
In February, a person suspected of killing a former pro-Russian Ukrainian politician outside a school in a wealthy Madrid suburb in 2025 was arrested in Germany.
(Reporting by Juliette Jabkhiro and Michaela Cabrera in Paris, Manon Cruz in Monaco, Anna Pruchnicka in Kyiv; Writing by Ingrid Melander, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
