The investigation into last week’s bombing attack in Monaco has taken a dramatic turn after Ukrainian authorities announced that the principal suspect in the attempted assassination has been found dead, with a serving intelligence officer and a former law enforcement official now facing murder charges.
The suspect, Anastasiia Berezovska, 39, a Ukrainian national who had recently been residing in Germany, was previously identified by Interpol as the individual believed to have carried out the bombing in the Principality of Monaco.
According to the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office and police, Berezovska’s body was discovered with gunshot wounds to the head, while spent pistol casings were recovered at the scene.
Authorities said two men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering Berezovska “by prior conspiracy”.
One of the suspects is a serving officer with the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, while the second is a former law enforcement official.
Ukrainian police disclosed that the serving intelligence officer confessed to killing Berezovska and identified the former police officer as his accomplice.
Subsequently, the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that both suspects had been formally indicted over Berezovska’s death.
“They are charged with intentional murder committed by a group of persons and with prior conspiracy,” the Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.
Investigators revealed that Berezovska entered Ukraine by bus on 1 July, where she maintained contact with members of her family as well as the two suspects.
Authorities also established that both men had repeatedly transferred money and cryptocurrency to Berezovska, prompting investigators to consider them potential participants in the attempted assassination carried out in Monaco.
Police said the intelligence officer failed to inform his superiors of either his communications with Berezovska or the financial transactions made to her. During questioning, he reportedly claimed that he had “acted on his own initiative”.
In a further disturbing development, investigators searching the residence of the former law enforcement officer reportedly discovered a basement room resembling a torture chamber.
The Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office said investigations remain ongoing to identify those who may have ordered or facilitated the Monaco attack.
“Law enforcement authorities are identifying the instigators and other figures involved in the attempted murder of the family in Monaco,” the office stated.
The bombing occurred last week when an explosive device detonated at the entrance of one of Monaco’s most exclusive apartment buildings, targeting Ukrainian-born businessman Vadym Yermolaiev.
The explosion injured three people, including Yermolaiev, an unidentified woman and a 13-year-old child.
The identities of the woman and child have not been disclosed. However, Yermolaiev’s wife confirmed in an interview with Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne that she was not at the residence when the explosion occurred and escaped injury.
Although investigators have yet to establish a definitive motive, Monaco’s chief prosecutor, Stéphane Thibault, previously described the incident as an attempted assassination.
The attack is believed to be the first recorded bombing intended as an assassination on the streets of Monaco, a city-state renowned for its extensive surveillance network and stringent security measures.
Investigators had earlier alleged that Berezovska disguised herself as a man while carrying out the attack. Images released during the investigation appeared to show her fleeing the scene wearing a black jumper and a black bucket hat, with her hair concealed beneath the headwear.
Prosecutors said she subsequently escaped into neighbouring France before travelling by road to Italy in a German-registered vehicle rented specifically for the operation.
Authorities also believe the sophistication of the explosive device indicates that Berezovska did not act alone, suggesting the bombing involved multiple perpetrators.
The latest developments have added a further layer of complexity to an investigation that already spans several European jurisdictions, with Ukrainian authorities continuing efforts to uncover those responsible for orchestrating both the Monaco bombing and the subsequent killing of the prime suspect.
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