Ukrainian oligarch Vadim Ermolaev critically injured in Monaco package bomb explosion, suspect on the run
A package bomb exploded in a residential building in Monaco on Monday evening, critically injuring Ukrainian oligarch Vadim Ermolaev, his partner, and their 13-year-old son. The suspect, caught on camera leaving a backpack, fled toward France.
The explosion
On Monday evening, shortly before 21:00 local time, a violent explosion rocked a residential building on Rue Révérend Père Louis Frolla in Monaco, near Place des Moulins and the French border. Authorities confirmed the blast was caused by a package bomb left in the building's lobby. The device, according to Monaco's Minister of State Christophe Mirmand, likely contained screws and bullets.
It is probably a terrorist attack.
Surveillance footage showed a man in beige trousers, a black jacket, and a black hat placing a backpack at the entrance moments before the explosion, then fleeing on foot toward the French town of Beausoleil.
Victims
Three members of a Ukrainian family were injured: businessman Vadim Ermolaev, 58, his partner, and their 13-year-old son. The two adults suffered life-threatening injuries and were transported to hospitals in Nice, about 20 kilometres away, as Monaco lacks the facilities for such critical cases. The boy was treated for minor injuries and is in stable condition. Four other people received medical attention for shock and cuts from shattered glass.
Suspect on the run
Police launched a manhunt with support from French authorities. At least five vehicles and 14 firefighters from the Alpes-Maritimes department crossed into Monaco to assist. The suspect remains at large. Investigators are analysing surveillance footage to reconstruct his movements and determine whether the victims were specifically targeted.
- Suspect leaves backpack at building entrance and flees on foot toward Beausoleil
- Explosion occurs, injuring three members of a Ukrainian family
- Monaco government confirms three injured, two in critical condition
- French firefighters from Alpes-Maritimes arrive to assist
- Manhunt continues; investigation into possible terrorist attack underway
Who is Vadim Ermolaev?
Ermolaev, born in Dnipro in 1968, built his fortune through the Alef Group, a conglomerate with interests in real estate, agriculture, alcohol production, and construction. Forbes Ukraine ranked him 23rd among the country's richest people in 2022, with an estimated net worth of $220 million in 2021. He had been living in Monaco as a "VIP refugee" since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In December 2023, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council imposed ten-year sanctions on Ermolaev, citing his continued alcohol trade in Russian-occupied Crimea. Ukrainian media reported that his company Alef-Vinal-Krym had re-registered under Russian law and paid taxes to the Russian budget. Ermolaev denied the allegations.
Reactions and unprecedented nature
Prince Albert II condemned what he called "an odious crime" and a "shock for the entire Monegasque community."
The Principality of Monaco will remain united and determined in the face of violence and crime. The security of our community has always been a priority; it will remain so more than ever, regardless of the threats.
Mirmand noted that, to his knowledge, it was the first time such an act had occurred in the principality. Nice mayor Éric Ciotti described the explosion as an "attack" and a "tragedy." Residents expressed disbelief. "It's true that we know this can happen in Europe or in Brazil, where I come from. But here, right in Monaco... it's very shocking," said Luiz Félipe Iani, 24.
