An 'armed and dangerous' Ukrainian woman is the prime suspect in a bomb explosion in Monaco that critically wounded a Ukrainian oligarch, his mistress, and their son. Interpol is preparing to issue a "red notice" for the suspect, who is in her thirties, after an arrest warrant was issued.
The woman is believed to have targeted billionaire Vadym Yermolaiev, 58, his mistress Anna Nasobina, 46, and their young son on Monday night. The explosion occurred in the foyer of the "Sun's Palace," a luxury apartment building owned by Yermolaiev, just before 9 p.m. Nasobina reportedly had her legs amputated following the blast, while both she and Yermolaiev sustained severe shrapnel wounds and burns.
Investigators identified the prime suspect based on a witness account. Surveillance footage reportedly shows the woman, wearing a black bucket hat, fleeing the scene on foot and crossing the border into France. She is believed to have then traveled into Italy. Authorities consider her armed and dangerous, and possibly in the company of accomplices.
Judicial authorities in Monaco and France have opened criminal inquiries for attempted murder, planting an explosive device with criminal intent, and criminal conspiracy. Security sources indicated that the suspect was first seen in the area on Monday morning before returning to plant the bomb. She is thought to have been approximately 12 meters away when she triggered the device via a mobile phone.
The wounded boy has reportedly made a swift recovery and is providing evidence to investigators. A security source described his memory as "blurred" but stated he is recounting what he witnessed. The boy sustained relatively minor burns and shrapnel injuries, while his mother appears to have borne the brunt of the blast.
Nasobina, described as Yermolaiev's common-law wife, is a Ukrainian national from Yermolaiev's hometown of Dnipro. She frequently spent time in England, where she is listed as a director of Wycombe Square Investments LLP, and also in Monaco. Yermolaiev's wife resides in a high-security villa in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
Investigators believe the suspect may have used a disposable "burner phone" to detonate the device. A manhunt involving police, army helicopters, and drones has been underway since the attack. While theories suggest involvement by Ukraine's SBU security service, investigators are currently favoring a "settling of scores" among criminal elements.
This incident marks the first bombing of its kind in Monaco. Yermolaiev, who had made numerous enemies over the years, reportedly relocated to Monaco for its security. A Ukrainian businessman from Crimea, Seyar Kurshutov, described Yermolaiev as "obsessed with security" and living "on a razor's edge."
Some of Yermolaiev's most powerful adversaries are believed to be linked to a past scheme involving fraudulent call centers. In late 2025, Artur Yermolaiev, Vadim Yermolaiev's eldest son, received a prison sentence in Estonia for his role in a fraudulent scheme estimated at £100 million. Another businessman involved in similar call center rackets, Igor Komarov, was reportedly kidnapped, tortured, killed, and dismembered in Bali in March 2026, with his killers never found, indicating the nature of the enemies Yermolaiev may face.