Wanted in Monaco: Anastasiia Berezovska, the Ukrainian Woman Accused of a Parcel Bomb Attack on a Sanctioned Oligarch

The Prime Suspect: Anastasiia Berezovska

The prime suspect is Anastasiia Berezovska, a 39-year-old Ukrainian woman . An Interpol Red Notice has been issued for her . French media (Le Figaro, BFMTV) initially reported that the suspect was a woman who had disguised herself as a man, and the Interpol notice names her directly .

She faces charges of attempted murder and terrorism-related offenses in connection with the bombing . Monaco prosecutors have issued an international arrest warrant .

How the Attack Was Carried Out

The attack unfolded around 9:00 pm local time on June 29, 2026, at the entrance of a residential building in Monaco . The suspect placed an improvised explosive device (IED) in the building's lobby, packed with bolts and buckshot — shrapnel designed to maximize casualties . After leaving the scene, the device was remotely detonated . CCTV footage shows the suspect fled on foot to France immediately after the blast .

Escape Route and Current Location

From France, the suspect is now believed to have traveled onward to Germany, where she is currently believed to be hiding . Monaco prosecutors have stated she likely did not act alone . Her last official residence is reported to be in Germany .

What Made the Explosive Device Unique

The device was an IED designed as a parcel bomb packed with shrapnel (bolts and buckshot) — indicating the intent was to maximize casualties, not just property damage . It was left in a residential lobby and remotely detonated, a method almost unheard of in Monaco .

The Target and Broader Context

The intended target was Vadym Iermolaiev (also spelled Yermolaiev), a 58-year-old Ukrainian-born construction tycoon and investor with Cypriot citizenship . He was sanctioned by Ukraine in 2023 for doing business in Russian-occupied Crimea and is considered to have close ties to Russia . At the time of the blast, his 13-year-old son was also in the lobby; both he and Iermolaiev's wife were injured, with Iermolaiev and his wife suffering life-threatening wounds including limb loss .

French media (Le Monde) described the attack as "a settling of scores linked to organized crime" . The exact motive remains under investigation.

An Unprecedented Attack

The attack is widely described as unprecedented and "rare" for Monaco, one of the safest and most heavily policed jurisdictions in the world, where violent crime of this kind is virtually unknown . The explosion — a parcel bomb with a remote detonator — shocked the normally ultra-safe principality and triggered a major international manhunt .

Note: The investigation is ongoing. The suspect remains at large and presumed in Germany as of July 3, 2026 .