Image: from DD Geopolitics X @DD_Geopolitics
By Open Chronicle News Desk with Agencies
A bomb explosion in the heart of Monaco has left several people injured, two of them critically, in what authorities describe as an unprecedented act of violence in the Principality. Police in Monaco and France have launched a joint manhunt for a suspect believed to have planted an improvised explosive device outside a residential building.
The explosion occurred shortly before 9 p.m. local time on Monday in central Monaco, a luxury Mediterranean enclave renowned for its financial sector, affluent residents and superyachts.
According to Monaco’s Minister of State, Christophe Mirmand, at least two victims sustained life-threatening injuries.
“This type of event has never occurred in the Principality before,” Mirmand told French broadcaster BFM TV.
Ukrainian-born businessman reportedly targeted
French and Ukrainian media outlets have identified the apparent target of the attack as Vadym Yermolaiev, a prominent real estate developer originally from Dnipro, Ukraine.
Yermolaiev reportedly left Ukraine several years ago, renounced his Ukrainian citizenship, and later became a citizen of Cyprus. He has been under Ukrainian sanctions since December 2023.
Authorities have not officially confirmed that he was the intended target, and investigators continue to examine the motive behind the attack.
🇲🇨 🇺🇦 Ukrainian-born businessman wounded in Monaco parcel bomb blast
Police are searching for the suspect behind the blast that wounded a businessman and two of his family members. Sources said the presumed target of the attack was Vadym Yermolaiev, a multi-millionaire who is a… pic.twitter.com/6VUjuLk0Sd
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) June 30, 2026
Massive security operation underway
Emergency services from neighboring France quickly joined Monaco’s rescue teams following the blast, while investigators from both countries began examining the scene.
Photographs taken on Tuesday morning showed significant damage to the façade of an apartment building, with forensic specialists collecting evidence and police securing the surrounding streets.
According to Le Figaro, surveillance cameras captured a man placing a backpack at the entrance of the residential building shortly before the explosion, before leaving the area.
Prosecutors described the explosive device as a parcel bomb or package bomb.
French Interior Ministry officials confirmed that a coordinated cross-border operation is underway to identify and arrest the suspect.
🇲🇨 A bomb packed with bolts and metal shot tore through the lobby of a luxury building in Monaco tonight, injuring sanctioned Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev and his family.
A man was caught on CCTV dropping a backpack at the entrance around 9 PM before fleeing toward the… pic.twitter.com/pYgD8AHVOZ
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) June 29, 2026
Prince Albert condemns the attack
Prince Albert II of Monaco condemned the bombing, describing it as “a heinous act.”
The attack has shocked residents of the tiny Mediterranean principality, which is widely regarded as one of the safest places in Europe and has rarely experienced acts of serious political or organized violence.
Authorities have not announced any arrests, and investigations continue as security services work to determine who was responsible and whether the bombing was linked to organized crime, political motives, or a targeted assassination attempt.