Video: Yermolayev stated that the attempt on his life could have been orchestrated for money by people linked to the Main Intelligence Directorate
Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolayev, who was the target of an assassination attempt in Monaco on June 29, said he does not know who might have ordered the attack. At the same time, he speculates that people linked to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense may have been involved in organizing the crime.
Yermolayev spoke about this in his first major interview with “Ukrainska Pravda” following the explosion.
According to the businessman, he does not have his own theory regarding the motive behind the attack.
“I don’t understand. I really hope that law enforcement will find the answer.”
Yermolayev assured that he has never had any conflicts with people who might have an interest in his murder. He also stated that he does not link the assassination attempt to his trip to Ukraine in May.
The businessman explained that on May 16, he traveled to Dnipro for only two and a half days to see the city and the businesses he had previously established and handed over to his family to manage. He said he did not hold any business meetings.
He claims that he had been under surveillance in Monaco even before this trip. According to Yermolayev, surveillance cameras captured Anastasia Berezovskaya in Monaco as early as April or early May.
The attack itself, he said, took place on the evening of June 29. Yermolayev was returning home with his common-law wife and child after dinner. When he took out his key fob to unlock the door, an explosion rang out. Previously, the businessman had not used personal security.
Yermolayev believes that the attackers’ goal was murder, not intimidation. His common-law wife, Anna, suffered severe injuries and remained in a coma for a long time.
Separately, the businessman commented on Anastasia Berezovskaya, whom investigators believe was involved in planting the explosive device. In his opinion, she could not have acted alone.
Yermolayev also stated that, according to his information, the explosive used was rare and could have been available to special forces units. He links this to the involvement in the case of Lieutenant Colonel Vladislav Reut of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR).
At the same time, Yermolayev emphasized that he has no evidence that the assassination attempt was an official GUR operation. He expressed his own assumption that individual employees may have acted for money.
The businessman stated that he does not consider it appropriate to link the assassination attempt directly to the leadership of the Main Intelligence Directorate or the Office of the President. In his opinion, if intelligence service employees were indeed involved, it is more likely that this was a private contract.
According to Yermolaev, after the explosion, a GUR representative contacted him and tried to convince him that the agency was not involved in the assassination attempt. The businessman replied that the presence of a serving GUR officer among the suspects raised questions for him.
He also said that, according to his information, the suspects in the case may be receiving threats while in the SBU detention center.
A separate part of the interview focused on the sanctions against Yermolayev. The businessman stated that he considers them unfounded and claims that Ukrainian law enforcement agencies allegedly have documents confirming his lack of involvement in the case regarding the activities of companies in Crimea.
According to Yermolayev, he lost control of his Crimean businesses after the occupation, and in 2023, they were nationalized by Russia. He denies having received any income from them after losing control.
After the assassination attempt, the businessman remained in Monaco but stepped up his security. He hired private security and stated that he hopes the masterminds behind the attack will be identified.
Yermolayev also denied reports that he was allegedly preparing a speech in the European Parliament on corruption in Ukraine. According to him, he was scheduled to participate in a roundtable discussion on investments in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
As a reminder, following the explosion in Monaco, Yermolayev accused the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of orchestrating the assassination attempt.
The body of a woman who may have been the hitman targeting businessman Yermolayev was found near Kyiv.
The SBU has recovered the deleted video of the assassination attempt on Yermolayev in Monaco.
