Package Bomb Explodes in Monaco Building, Injuring Three Including Reported Ukrainian Oligarch

Overview

• The explosion struck a residential building near Monaco’s border on Monday night, injuring three people who were transferred to Nice for specialist care.
• Prosecutor Stéphane Thibault said the device had been left in a bag in the building lobby by someone who then left the scene and investigators are treating the case as a suspected attempted homicide.
• Multiple media outlets citing an unnamed source have identified one of the injured as Ukrainian businessman Vadim Ermolaev, who has been under Ukrainian sanctions since December 2023, but Monaco authorities have not officially confirmed identities or a motive.
• Monaco and French police launched a cross-border manhunt and boosted patrols around Monte Carlo while an explosive-ordnance team searched the area and a prosecutor’s briefing was scheduled for further updates.
• The attack is highly unusual for Monaco, which relies on nearby French hospitals for serious care, and it raises broader questions about possible personal or political motives as officials promise reinforced security and ongoing investigation.