An explosion in Monaco has triggered a search by police after a man fled the scene following the detonation of a homemade bomb that injured three individuals. The incident occurred in Rue Reverend-Pere-Louis-Frolla, a popular tourist spot, at around 9pm on Monday, June 29.
Surveillance footage shows a man in a black bucket hat and jumper leaving a backpack in a residential building’s entrance hall before quickly exiting the area. Two of the victims are in critical condition, as confirmed by Monaco’s public prosecutor general, Thibault Stéphane.
Among the injured is Ukrainian oligarch Vadim Ermolaev, known locally. Ermolaev, aged 58, is one of Ukraine’s wealthiest individuals, having made his fortune as a property developer before relocating with his family. In 2019, he acquired Cyprus citizenship, and Ukraine imposed sanctions on him in December 2023.
Reports indicate that Ermolaev’s wife and a teenager were also harmed in what authorities describe as a targeted attack. The adults were taken to Pasteur Hospital in Nice for treatment, while the teen received immediate care at the scene.
The Monégasque government labeled the incident a “malicious act.” Monaco’s Minister of State, Christophe Mirmand, stated that the explosive device likely contained bolts and shot, noting that it was unprecedented in the Principality’s history.
The suspect crossed into France on foot and was identified through video surveillance in Monaco and the nearby town of Beausoleil. Following the explosion, a substantial police presence has been deployed in the area as the search for the suspect intensifies.
The mayor of Nice, Eric Ciotti, expressed condolences for the victims and support for the security forces and emergency responders involved. Witnesses initially mistook the explosion for a firework display, with one local, Marine Cotta, recounting her realization of the severity of the situation through social media updates and emergency sirens.
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