Ukrainian prosecutors announced the arrest of a Ukrainian military intelligence officer and a former law enforcement officer in connection with the murder of Anastasiia Berezovska, the prime suspect in the parcel bomb attack that injured Ukrainian multi-millionaire Vadym Ermolaev in Monaco. Investigators allege the two arrested individuals transferred funds to Berezovska's accounts, leading them to be considered potentially involved in the attempted murder.
During a search of the former law enforcement officer's residence, authorities discovered a basement described as resembling a torture chamber. Footage from the scene shows a dimly lit underground area containing weapons, bottles of liquid, and bloodstains on the floor. Images depict axes and hammers found within the former officer's home.
Berezovska, a 39-year-old Ukrainian national wanted by Interpol on charges including attempted murder and placing an explosive device, was found dead near Kyiv on July 6, approximately one week after the Monaco bombing. She had been sought by police across Europe after allegedly fleeing Monaco to Italy, Germany, and then Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian prosecutors, Berezovska communicated with two men after returning to Kyiv on July 1. One was identified as a former law enforcement employee and the other as an active employee of Ukraine's Ministry of Defence. The active intelligence officer reported Berezovska's murder, which he claimed he committed with the former officer.
The former law enforcement officer reportedly stated he acted on his own initiative and did not inform his superiors about his contact with Berezovska or the fund transfers. Both suspects have been detained on suspicion of murder by conspiracy.
The investigation into the Monaco bombing initially focused on the possibility of retaliation linked to a network of fraudulent call centers in Dnipro, Ukraine, allegedly used for large-scale financial scams across Europe. The Ermolaev family has been reportedly implicated in this scheme. Vadym Ermolaev, a property developer with an estimated fortune of $230 million, was sanctioned by Kyiv in 2023 over interests in Russian-occupied Crimea. He was injured in the blast along with his mistress, Anna Nasobina, 46, and their 13-year-old son, Ariel. Nasobina remains in serious condition after her legs were amputated.
Monaco's deputy prosecutor stated the suspect had been disguised as a man when she carried out the attack. Surveillance footage showed a figure wearing a bucket hat fleeing the scene and crossing into France. German police had previously searched an apartment rented by Berezovska in the Main-Taunus district and seized a vehicle associated with her.