Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev killed in explosion in Monaco — BFMTV
Vadym Yermolaiev (Photo: vadymiermolaiev.info)
On Monday evening, June 29, an explosion occurred in Monaco, injuring three people. One of the victims turned out to be Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev, according to BFMTV.
What happened in Monaco and who was injured
According to media reports, at approximately 9:00 PM, an explosion was heard in the lobby of an apartment building on Rue Revérend-Père-Louis-Folla.
The incident occurred after an unknown man left a backpack with explosives in the lobby and then fled. As of 2:00 AM Kyiv time, he had still not been found, but the suspect was captured on video cameras.
The explosion occurred after several people had arrived in the lobby. By 9:15 PM, the Department of Fire Safety and Rescue had been notified of the incident and dispatched rescuers.
At present, it is known that three people of Ukrainian origin were injured in the explosion. These are a man and a woman, both aged 50 to 60, as well as a 13-year-old. Some publications indicated that it was a family.
"One of the three victims of the explosion is Vadym Yermolaiev, a major Ukrainian oligarch born in 1968," a source close to the investigation told BFMTV.
He added that the second victim of the explosion in Monaco was the oligarch's partner.
According to Forbes, Yermolaiev ranks 23rd on the list of the 100 richest Ukrainians. Media outlets note that in 2019, he renounced Ukrainian citizenship and obtained Cypriot citizenship.
As of 2:00 AM, it is known that the adults are in critical condition. At the same time, the condition of the 13-year-old boy is stable.
The prosecutor's office believes that it was, preliminarily, a terrorist act. The head of the Monaco government, Christophe Mirman, also made this assumption and said that the explosive device may have contained bolts and shot.
"Currently, the police are collecting evidence. As far as I know, this is the first time in history that such an incident has occurred in the principality," he said.
He also reported that, in addition to the three injured, four other people were taken to the hospital. They did not suffer any injuries, but simply went into shock.
According to the latest media reports, a press conference regarding the explosion is scheduled for the morning.
Other incidents
On January 30, a well-known Ukrainian banker, Oleksandr Adarich, died in Milan, Italy. He fell from the window of a five-story building, but later the investigation established that he had been strangled and the fall was not accidental.
On May 21, 2025, former deputy head of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration Andrii Portnov was shot dead in Spain. He was killed by a gunshot, and the suspect was only apprehended at the beginning of 2026.
