A manhunt is underway in Monaco following a destructive explosion that occurred when a man fled the scene after setting off a homemade bomb, resulting in three individuals being injured.
The incident took place in the well-known tourist spot, Rue Reverend-Pere-Louis-Frolla, around 9 pm on June 29.
Surveillance footage captured a man in a black bucket hat and jumper leaving a backpack in a residential building’s entrance hall before quickly departing.
According to Monaco’s public prosecutor general, Thibault Stéphane, two of the wounded victims are in critical condition.
One of the injured individuals has been identified as Ukrainian oligarch Vadim Ermolaev, a 58-year-old who is among the wealthiest in Ukraine, having made his fortune as a real estate developer before relocating with his family.
In 2019, Ermolaev acquired Cypriot citizenship, and Ukraine imposed sanctions on him, including asset restrictions, in December 2023.
Reports indicate that Ermolaev’s wife and a teenager were also harmed in what authorities believe was a targeted assault.
The injured adults were taken to Pasteur Hospital in Nice for medical care, while the younger victim received treatment at the scene.
The Monégasque government has labeled the event a “malicious act.”
Christophe Mirmand, Monaco’s Minister of State, informed AFP that the explosive device likely contained bolts and shot, marking the first such incident in the Principality’s history.
The suspect, who crossed into France on foot, was recognized through video surveillance in Monaco and the nearby French town of Beausoleil.
Following the explosion, a significant police presence has been established in the area as authorities pursue the suspect.
It is believed that the suspect was heading towards the French border nearby.
Nice’s mayor, Eric Ciotti, expressed support for the victims and emergency responders, calling the attack a tragedy that has impacted Monaco.
Residents initially mistook the attack for a fireworks display, with Marine Cotta recounting how she learned of the incident through social media and the sounds of emergency services.
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