A suspected bomber was captured on camera casually leaving the scene before a massive explosion rocked a high-end apartment complex in an apparent assassination attempt targeting a Ukrainian oligarch.
According to investigators, a backpack filled with explosives was planted in the entrance of the Sun Palace apartment building just moments before Vadim Ermolaev, also known as Vadym Yermolaiev, along with his partner Anna Nasobina and their 13-year-old son Ariel, approached the area.
Newly released surveillance footage from the Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office shows a person walking away while on a phone call shortly before the detonation in Monaco on June 29. Authorities believe the individual to be Ukrainian national Anastasiia Berezovska, who was previously identified by Interpol as the main suspect in the assassination attempt, labeling her as “armed” and “dangerous.”
On July 6, the 39-year-old Berezovska was discovered deceased near Kyiv after sustaining gunshot wounds. She was wanted for alleged crimes including attempted murder, placing an explosive device with criminal intent, and criminal conspiracy.
In the explosion aftermath, Nasobina, 46, reportedly lost both her legs, while Ermolaev suffered severe burns and shrapnel injuries, and their teenage son was also harmed.
Monaco’s deputy prosecutor, Morgan Raymond, stated that Berezovska purportedly disguised herself as a man during the attack.
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko of Ukraine mentioned that crucial surveillance footage was retrieved despite attempts to delete it by the attackers. The footage, captured by a camera installed near the scene, was crucial in the investigation.
Two individuals, Ukrainian military intelligence officer Vladyslav Reut and co-defendant Vitalii Zhykovych, faced charges related to Berezovska’s demise in court. Both defendants denied the accusations.
Ermolaev accused officers from Ukraine’s military intelligence agency of orchestrating the bombing without presenting substantiating evidence.
The investigation has also explored potential connections between the bombing and fraudulent call center activities in Ukraine targeting victims across Europe, although no direct link has been established.
Ermolaev, a prominent property developer ranked as Ukraine’s 39th wealthiest individual by Forbes in 2020, remains hospitalized in intensive care. He described Nasobina’s injuries as “catastrophic and irreversible” and detailed the extent of their son’s injuries, emphasizing that the attack was a serious attempt on their lives.
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