Monaco Parcel Bomb Triggers Manhunt as Ukrainian Oligarch Injured

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:24:31 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A bomb exploded in a Monaco apartment, injuring a Ukrainian businessman and his family. A manhunt is underway in southern France as authorities investigate the attack.

A parcel bomb blew up in a residential building near the French border on Monday night, seriously wounding Ukrainian entrepreneur Vadym Yermolaiev, his wife and their son. The blast was captured on surveillance footage, showing a backpack dropped in the lobby before the explosion. Monaco officials say the suspect escaped to France, and police are combing nearby villages. The incident is a first for the principality and has drawn the attention of both Monaco and French authorities.

A parcel bomb exploded in Monaco, injuring a Ukrainian businessman and sparking a cross‑border manhunt

Monaco was shaken last night when a parcel bomb detonated in a high‑rise apartment near the French border, seriously injuring Ukrainian real estate developer Vadym Yermolaiev, his wife and their 13‑year‑old son. All three were taken to a hospital in Nice and are reported as critical.

The blast occurred shortly before 9 p.m. local time at an apartment building on Rue Révérend Père Louis Frolla. Surveillance footage captured a man dropping a backpack in the lobby minutes before the explosion. Monaco’s Minister of State, Christophe Mirmand, told French media that the suspect appears to have fled to France, and was seen on video heading towards the commune of Beausoleil on foot.

According to Mirmand, the device contained metallic bolts and pellets, a detail that raises concerns over the use of improvised explosive devices along the border. French police and emergency services arrived within five minutes, aided by a helicopter that hovered overhead throughout the night. Over 100 officers and support staff were deployed to the scene.

Monaco’s Prince Albert II called the incident a “heinous crime” and described it as a shock to the principality. He added that all relevant state services were being mobilised in collaboration with French authorities to capture the suspect.

Yermolaiev, a 58‑year‑old businessman originally from Dnipro in Ukraine, had become a Cypriot citizen in 2019 after renouncing his Ukrainian nationality. He has significant interests in the wine and alcohol sector in the annexed Crimean region and has been subject to sanctions by Kyiv since 2023. Forbes listed him as the 39th richest Ukrainian in 2020 with a fortune of $230 million.

The investigation is ongoing, with police canvassing the area and reviewing security footage to identify the suspect. The incident marks the first time an act of this nature has occurred in the principality and underscores the heightened security concerns along the Monaco‑France border.