The spouse of a Ukrainian oligarch, previously thought to have suffered severe injuries in the Monaco bombing, has clarified that she was not present during the explosion that critically injured her husband. Businessman Vadym Yermolaiev, aged 56, was taken to a hospital in Nice, France, following a bombing incident at a residential complex. His wife, Anna Ermolaeva, also 56, was initially reported to have lost both legs in the blast, suspected to be from a parcel bomb in an alleged murder attempt.
Subsequent updates confirmed that Mrs. Ermolaeva was unharmed during the Monaco attack as she was not in the vicinity at the time. In an interview with Ukrainian state media Suspilne, she expressed being in a state of severe stress and mentioned active cooperation with the ongoing investigation and law enforcement authorities.
The individual harmed in the attack, whose identity remains undisclosed, underwent amputations, including the loss of limbs, while her 13-year-old son sustained injuries from being thrown a significant distance but is currently in a stable condition. Contrary to reports, Mrs. Yermolaiev’s son is actually 17 years old or turning 17 this year. The bomb, a bag filled with explosives, nuts, and bolts, detonated in the building’s entrance as residents were apparently returning home peacefully.
Christophe Mirmand, Monaco’s minister of state, stated that the affected group was targeted as they entered their apartment building, emphasizing the deliberate nature of the attack. Authorities in France have initiated a large-scale manhunt for the perpetrator who reportedly escaped, with surveillance footage capturing a suspect heading towards a nearby French commune. The incident is being investigated as attempted murder rather than terrorism, according to Stephane Thibault, Monaco’s public prosecutor.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, with Mr. Yermolaiev being the most prominent individual injured. The Ukrainian businessman, who relinquished his citizenship to become a Cypriot citizen in 2017, was ranked as the 39th wealthiest person in Ukraine in 2020, boasting a substantial fortune of £173.8 million.