Ukrainian oligarch Vadim Ermolaev, 58, was seriously injured in an explosion at his apartment building in Monaco on Monday evening. The attack, which security sources describe as a meticulously planned assassination attempt, also injured his mistress, Anna Nasobina, 46, and their 13-year-old son. The device, packed with nuts and bolts, detonated at the entrance to the building as they were returning home.
Monegasque police, with French assistance, have launched a manhunt for a suspect seen fleeing the scene on CCTV. Security experts suggest the perpetrator had intimate knowledge of Ermolaev's movements, indicating a high level of planning and reconnaissance.
Nasobina sustained severe injuries and reportedly had her legs amputated, while her son was also hospitalized. Ermolaev, a prominent businessman who made his fortune in commerce after the collapse of the Soviet Union and was once listed by Forbes with an estimated net worth of $225 million, is reportedly in critical condition. His wife and other four children were not present during the attack.
Investigators are treating the incident as attempted murder, not terrorism. Ukrainian police have previously suggested the attack could be linked to Ermolaev's alleged involvement in a €100 million call center fraud scheme. Sources indicate a potential connection to a network of fraudulent call centers in Dnipro, Ukraine, where both Ermolaev and Nasobina are from.
Further speculation suggests the incident may stem from a dispute over dividing territory or unpaid debts owed to organized crime bosses in Dnipro. Ermolaev, known as a wine tycoon, has previously faced accusations of criminality, including money laundering, which he denies.
Ermolaev, who reportedly obtained a Cypriot passport in 2019 after renouncing his Ukrainian citizenship, was subjected to personal sanctions by Kyiv in December 2023. Ukraine accused him of selling wine in Russian-occupied Crimea and paying taxes to the Russian treasury, leading to the freezing of his assets.
Nasobina, described as a London-based businesswoman and co-founder of a private members' club, has familial ties to Ukrainian law enforcement. The circumstances surrounding the attack have fueled speculation about potential involvement by criminal elements or even state actors amidst the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.