Ukrainian billionaire oligarch Vadim Ermolaev is among three people injured in an explosion in Monaco, according to local reports. The blast occurred shortly after 9pm on Monday, June 29, on Rue du Révérend Père Louis Frolla. All three victims are believed to be Ukrainian.
Victims Identified
Monaco Matin named the injured man as Vadim Ermolaev, one of Ukraine's wealthiest individuals. He is understood to have fled Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia. The other victims are a woman in her 50s or 60s and a teenage boy.
Suspect Sought
Police in Monaco are searching for a suspect. Video surveillance captured a man dropping a backpack at the entrance of a residential building shortly before the explosion. The suspect is described as wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, a bucket hat, and khaki bottoms. He has been tracked via security cameras moving through Monaco and into Beausoleil.
Reinforcements from the Nice Anti-Crime Squad and emergency units from Nice and Menton have been dispatched to Beausoleil.
Official Response
Monaco's Minister of State stated the incident is "likely to be an attack" and that the explosive device likely contained bolts and shrapnel. "Police services are currently gathering evidence," he said. "To my knowledge, this is the first time in history that such an act has occurred in the Principality."
