The investigation into a bombing outside the Monaco residence of a Ukrainian businessman has taken a dramatic turn after the woman identified as the prime suspect was found dead in Ukraine, with court proceedings raising allegations of links to the country’s military intelligence services.
French authorities recently identified 39-year-old Anastasiia Berezovska as the individual seen on surveillance footage leaving a backpack outside a Monaco apartment building. The explosive later detonated, injuring Ukrainian businessman Vadym Iermolaiev as he exited the building with his partner and 13-year-old child.
According to French investigators, Berezovska fled Monaco by car through France and Italy before returning to Ukraine on July 1. Days later, Ukrainian authorities announced that her body had been discovered in a wooded area near Kyiv.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said Berezovska had been met upon her return by two men who had previously transferred money to her bank and cryptocurrency accounts.
One of the suspects, Vladyslav Reut, appeared in a Kyiv court on Thursday charged with her murder. During the hearing, Reut alleged that his accomplice, former Kyiv regional police officer Vitalii Zhykovych, fatally shot Berezovska in a forest west of the Ukrainian capital. Zhykovych has denied the allegations through his lawyer.
Ukrainian media have reported that Reut previously served with Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR), though authorities have not publicly stated that the agency was involved in the incident.
The SBU said investigators recovered Berezovska’s body after the suspects provided information about its location and also collected ballistic evidence from the scene.
The case has generated significant attention because of the reported background of one of the suspects and the international implications of the Monaco bombing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he expects to receive additional reports on the investigation and pledged to update the public as more information becomes available.
Investigative journalist Mykhailo Tkach told local media that authorities would likely face pressure to fully explain whether any current or former intelligence personnel were involved.
Iermolaiev, one of Ukraine’s wealthiest businessmen, was sanctioned by Kyiv in 2023 over allegations that he continued business activities in Russian-occupied Crimea and paid taxes to Russia. He has denied the accusations, calling them unfounded and stating that he has financially supported Ukraine’s military.
Investigators are also examining whether the Monaco bombing was politically motivated or stemmed from a criminal dispute. A source familiar with Iermolaiev suggested the attack may have been linked to criminal activity rather than politics, although authorities have not confirmed a motive.
Questions also remain over how Berezovska returned to Ukraine after the bombing. Ukraine’s State Border Service said she entered the country legally through a regular border crossing before any international warrant had been issued, and no Interpol alerts were active at the time.
The investigation continues in both France and Ukraine as authorities work to determine who planned the Monaco bombing, whether Berezovska acted alone, and the circumstances surrounding her death.
