A Ukrainian oligarch and his wife are fighting for their lives after a parcel bomb exploded in Monaco, with the wife reportedly having both legs amputated. The attack occurred on Monday evening in the foyer of their apartment block in Place des Moulins.
Attack Details
Vadim Ermolaev, 58, and his wife Anna, a dentist, were injured by a backpack filled with nuts and bolts that detonated around 9pm local time. Their 13-year-old son, David, was also hurt and is in stable condition after being thrown 15 meters by the blast. Four others were treated for shock and cuts from shattered windows.
French special forces from the RAID unit are providing round-the-clock protection to the family at Pasteur Hospital in Nice, 12 miles from the blast site. The suspect, captured on CCTV, remains at large and is described as armed and dangerous.
Victim's Background
Ermolaev, who made his fortune in commerce after the Soviet Union's collapse, has many enemies since leaving Ukraine a decade ago. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sanctioned him in December 2023 for his drinks business in occupied Crimea. He also co-owns Versobank, an Estonian bank whose license was suspended in 2018 for money laundering violations. His eldest son, Artur, was arrested in Cyprus in 2025 over fraudulent call centers. The family denies all wrongdoing.
Official Response
Prince Albert of Monaco condemned the attack as a heinous act, expressing solidarity with victims and praising emergency services. Monaco's Secretary of State, Christophe Mirmand, said the suspect drove around the area several times before the blast, indicating surveillance. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed police are working to find the perpetrator.
