Explosive package in Monaco injures three relatives of a Ukrainian businessman - suspect still at large

Monaco – 30.06.2026: On the evening of June 29, an apparently deliberately placed package exploded in the entrance of a residential building near the border with France and injured three members of the same family. According to the government of the Principality, a man and a woman were seriously injured; a 13-year-old boy, also a family member, suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital.

The Monaco public prosecutor’s office launched an investigation on suspicion of attempted murder; a terrorism inquiry is not being categorically ruled out by authorities, but has not been confirmed either. Monegasque security forces released a suspect profile and described the person as male; the manhunt is being conducted in cooperation with French services along the border. Checks on access routes and driveways have been tightened.

Media and official sources identified the injured man as the Monaco-based businessman Vadym Yermolaiev (also referred to in reports as Vadim Ermolaev), whose activities have been the subject of controversy and who is said to have appeared on international sanctions lists. Such information comes from government and agency reports; investigators emphasize that the motive and background of the act are not yet established.

According to eyewitness accounts and video material, the suspect placed the package in the building’s hallway, apparently waited, and then walked off on foot toward the French municipality of Beausoleil. Technical examinations of the explosive device are expected to provide information about the device’s construction and possible traces of origin; explosives experts have been called in to support evidence recovery.

The Minister of State of Monaco and local police authorities called for caution and asked the public for information. French prefecture authorities and the Gendarmerie of the Alpes-Maritimes confirmed cooperation in the search; checkpoints have been set up. So far there are no official indications of further threats to the public.

The injured are receiving medical treatment in hospitals in the region; according to authorities at least one person is in critical condition. Relatives and neighbors said they were shocked; in the affluent residential area, which had previously been considered safe, the incident has significantly shaken the sense of security.

Investigations are now focusing on identifying the perpetrator, possible organizers and the motive. Official statements from judicial and investigative authorities are to remain the basis; in the meantime authorities are asking the media and the public to show restraint so as not to jeopardize the ongoing work.