A parcel bomb detonated in Monaco on Monday, injuring at least three individuals, including Ukrainian businessman Vadim Ermolaiyev, who has faced sanctions from the Ukrainian government due to his connections with Russia.
The unidentified suspect is thought to have escaped on foot into France and is still at large. As of Tuesday morning, Monaco authorities have stated that the likelihood of it being a terrorist act has been dismissed.
The Monaco government provided updates via social media, indicating that the explosion took place just before 9 PM local time near Place Moulin, a central transportation hub in the principality.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured the suspect fleeing toward Beausoleil, a nearby French city.
Monaco’s Minister of State, Christophe Millmann, told reporters that the explosives involved included bolts and shrapnel. He noted, “As far as I know, this is the first time in history that such an act has occurred in the principality.”
Ermolaiyev and his partner remain in critical condition, while a 13-year-old boy, believed to be their child, sustained minor injuries. The three individuals were taken to a hospital in Nice, France, and the severity of their injuries is still unclear.
Ermolaiyev, described as a “VIP refugee” in Monaco since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has faced expulsion from the Ukrainian government due to his ties to Russia. Reports imply he is still engaged in alcohol trafficking in Crimea, an area under Russian control.
The suspect was seen on security cameras leaving a backpack in the lobby of a residential building on Avenue L’Everin-Père-Louis-Flora, which borders France.
French broadcaster BFM mentioned that, according to Monaco’s public security, the suspect was dressed in “beige pants, a black jacket, and a black hat that partially obscured his face.” Additionally, four other individuals were reportedly taken to the hospital, though none were seriously harmed; they were just “shaken up” by the incident.
Monaco authorities emphasized the importance of collaborating with intelligence agencies to understand the situation further, evaluate whether others might still be at risk, and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Prince Albert II condemned the explosion, labeling it a “criminal explosion” and a “heinous crime.” His statement expressed solidarity with the victims and their families as well as those living in proximity to the explosion.
