The wife of a prominent Ukrainian businessman, Vadym Yermolaiev, has clarified that she was not present during the Monaco bombing incident that critically injured her husband this week. Initial reports suggested that Anna Ermolaeva, also 56, had lost her legs in the explosion but it has now been confirmed that she was not harmed during the attack, which occurred in the evening local time.
In an interview with Ukrainian media, Ms. Ermolaeva expressed being in a state of severe stress and emphasized their cooperation with the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, another woman injured in the bombing had her limbs amputated, and her 13-year-old son sustained injuries after being thrown a considerable distance but is now in stable condition.
Contrary to earlier reports, Mrs. Yermolaiev’s son is actually turning 17 this year. The attack targeted residents returning home peacefully, detonating a bag filled with explosives, nuts, and bolts in the building’s foyer. Monaco’s minister of state, Christophe Mirmand, stated that the family was specifically targeted in the explosion, leading to a major manhunt for the suspect who fled the scene.
French authorities are treating the incident as attempted murder rather than terrorism, with investigations ongoing to determine the motive behind the attack. Mr. Yermolaiev, a prominent Ukrainian figure who holds Cypriot citizenship, sustained injuries in the bombing, making him the most prominent victim. He was ranked as the 39th wealthiest person in Ukraine in 2020, with a substantial fortune of £173.8 million.