Monaco Attack Suspect Found Dead Near Kyiv; Ukrainian Intelligence Officer Detained

A woman suspected of involvement in an assassination attempt in Monaco has been found dead near Kyiv, reportedly killed by gunfire. Sources cited by Ukrainska Pravda indicate her body was discovered around 11 p.m. on July 6. Investigators have not officially released the woman's identity or the circumstances surrounding her death. However, sources suggest she had been outside Ukraine from March 22, 2025, to July 1, 2026.

The incident gained attention following an explosion in Monaco on June 29, which injured three people, including Ukrainian businessman Vadim Ermolaev and his alleged mistress. Ermolaev, the founder of the Alef industrial and trade group and a major real estate investor in Dnipro, Ukraine, previously held Ukrainian citizenship before acquiring Cypriot citizenship in 2019. He has been listed among Ukraine's wealthiest individuals by Forbes Ukraine.

Another source within Ukrainian security services told Ukrainska Pravda that two people have been detained as part of the investigation. One is reportedly an active member of Ukraine's Military Intelligence Service, while the other is a former police officer. Monaco has ruled out a terrorist motive for the explosion and has opened an investigation into attempted murder and the placement of an explosive device in a public place. Media reports previously indicated that investigators were examining a possible connection to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU).

Ermolaev was also featured in Ukrainska Pravda's "Monaco Battalion" investigation, which examined Ukrainian entrepreneurs, politicians, and oligarchs who relocated to the French Riviera after the start of the Russian invasion. The article notes that Monaco authorities are investigating the possibility of a link to the SBU.