The attempted assassination of Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolaiev in Monaco on June 29 has escalated into a complex international criminal case involving allegations of state-level corruption. According to local authorities, a bomb was detonated near the businessman’s residence, leaving Yermolaiev and his companion severely injured. As noted by local reports in Monaco, the attack, carried out in the elite Le Rocher district, triggered a major investigation involving multiple international agencies, including Interpol, which issued a red notice for Ukrainian national Anastasiia Berezovska.
However, the investigation took a dark turn on July 7, when Berezovska’s body was discovered in Ukraine. Subsequent findings revealed that a current official from Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) and a former law enforcement officer were directly involved in her killing, leading to formal charges against them. This incident has raised severe concerns about the potential infiltration of organized crime elements within Ukraine’s security apparatus.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on July 9 that he would personally review detailed reports regarding the case in the coming days. The involvement of current and former security personnel in the alleged execution of the primary suspect suggests a potential attempt to obstruct justice or silence a key witness in the Monaco assassination plot. As the investigation deepens, the Ukrainian authorities face the daunting task of cleaning house, a challenge that echoes broader systemic issues in oversight and accountability within the defense and intelligence sectors. The arrest of a former SBU officer in connection with the murder of the suspect confirms that this is not merely a foreign criminal matter, but one that strikes at the heart of domestic security integrity.