Interpol has issued an international Red Notice for 39-year-old Anastasiia Berezovska, named as the prime suspect in the unprecedented parcel bomb assassination attempt in Monaco. The high-profile attack targeted sanctioned millionaire tycoon Vadym Yermolaiev and his family, shattering the quiet of one of the world’s most heavily policed sovereign states.
The Anatomy of the Attack
The explosion occurred around 9:00 PM as Yermolaiev, his partner, and their 13-year-old son were returning home from dinner at a seaside restaurant. An improvised explosive device (IED) packed with bolts and pellets had been hidden in a bag at the entryway of their luxury apartment building. The perpetrator monitored their approach and detonated the bomb remotely from a distance.
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The Victims: Vadym Yermolaiev—a wealthy construction and real estate tycoon who renounced his Ukrainian citizenship for Cypriot nationality—sustained critical injuries. Yermolaiev was placed under official sanctions by Kyiv in late 2023 due to ongoing business ties with Russian-occupied territories, including Crimea. His partner remains in life-threatening condition, while their teenager suffered less severe wounds.
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The Security Shock: This marks the first recorded targeted bombing in modern Monegasque history. The microstate, roughly half the size of New York’s Central Park, operates under maximum surveillance with over 1,300 CCTV cameras and a dense police force.
The Investigation: Unmasking the Suspect
Initial witness reports and emergency footage described the suspect as a heavily built man wearing a bucket hat, dark long-sleeved top, and shorts. However, a comprehensive multi-day review of surveillance networks across Monaco and neighboring French border towns flipped the investigation entirely.
Investigators deduced that the suspect was actually a woman operating under an elaborate physical disguise to appear male.
The Global Manhunt
Monaco authorities, alongside police departments in France and Germany, have traced a calculated escape route across Western Europe:
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The Getaway: After the detonation, the suspect fled on foot across the open border into the French commune of Beausoleil. There, she picked up a vehicle equipped with German license plates—specifically rented for the hit—and drove directly toward Italy.
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The Suspect Profile: Anastasiia Berezovska was born in Ukraine but was last known to reside in Germany. She has dark hair, speaks fluent German, and features a distinctive snake-shaped tattoo stretching from her right shoulder down to her elbow.
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German Raid: Acting on cross-border judicial cooperation, German criminal police have already tracked down and raided Berezovska’s apartment and car, securing key forensic evidence to hand over to Monaco prosecutors.
Berezovska remains actively on the run. She faces local and international charges of attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, and deploying an explosive device in a public space with criminal intent. Given the complexity of the remote-detonation apparatus and logistical footprint, investigators firmly believe she did not act alone.
Interpol has issued an international Red Notice for 39-year-old Anastasiia Berezovska, named as the prime suspect in the unprecedented parcel bomb assassination attempt in Monaco. The high-profile attack targeted sanctioned millionaire tycoon Vadym Yermolaiev and his family, shattering the quiet of one of the world’s most heavily policed sovereign states.
The Anatomy of the Attack
The explosion occurred around 9:00 PM as Yermolaiev, his partner, and their 13-year-old son were returning home from dinner at a seaside restaurant. An improvised explosive device (IED) packed with bolts and pellets had been hidden in a bag at the entryway of their luxury apartment building. The perpetrator monitored their approach and detonated the bomb remotely from a distance.
-
The Victims: Vadym Yermolaiev—a wealthy construction and real estate tycoon who renounced his Ukrainian citizenship for Cypriot nationality—sustained critical injuries. Yermolaiev was placed under official sanctions by Kyiv in late 2023 due to ongoing business ties with Russian-occupied territories, including Crimea. His partner remains in life-threatening condition, while their teenager suffered less severe wounds.
-
The Security Shock: This marks the first recorded targeted bombing in modern Monegasque history. The microstate, roughly half the size of New York’s Central Park, operates under maximum surveillance with over 1,300 CCTV cameras and a dense police force.
The Investigation: Unmasking the Suspect
Initial witness reports and emergency footage described the suspect as a heavily built man wearing a bucket hat, dark long-sleeved top, and shorts. However, a comprehensive multi-day review of surveillance networks across Monaco and neighboring French border towns flipped the investigation entirely.
Investigators deduced that the suspect was actually a woman operating under an elaborate physical disguise to appear male.
The Global Manhunt
Monaco authorities, alongside police departments in France and Germany, have traced a calculated escape route across Western Europe:
-
The Getaway: After the detonation, the suspect fled on foot across the open border into the French commune of Beausoleil. There, she picked up a vehicle equipped with German license plates—specifically rented for the hit—and drove directly toward Italy.
-
The Suspect Profile: Anastasiia Berezovska was born in Ukraine but was last known to reside in Germany. She has dark hair, speaks fluent German, and features a distinctive snake-shaped tattoo stretching from her right shoulder down to her elbow.
-
German Raid: Acting on cross-border judicial cooperation, German criminal police have already tracked down and raided Berezovska’s apartment and car, securing key forensic evidence to hand over to Monaco prosecutors.
Berezovska remains actively on the run. She faces local and international charges of attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, and deploying an explosive device in a public space with criminal intent. Given the complexity of the remote-detonation apparatus and logistical footprint, investigators firmly believe she did not act alone.
