Ukrainian diplomats are seeking access to the victims of the explosion in Monaco
Ukrainian diplomats have not yet been granted access to the people injured in the explosion in Monaco. The principality’s authorities have not officially confirmed the citizenship of all the victims, which is complicating consular efforts.
A diplomatic source reported this to a Ukrinform correspondent.
“For Monaco, a key issue is the disclosure of personal data. At this point, the fact that all the victims are Ukrainian citizens has not yet been officially confirmed,” the source explained, adding that in private conversations, the authorities have indicated that the woman and the boy do indeed hold Ukrainian citizenship.
According to the agency’s source, consulate staff have not yet been allowed into the hospital, although all necessary requests have been sent to the authorities of the Principality of Monaco.
“The woman, as is known, is in serious condition and has undergone surgery, while the boy, according to protocol, must first be carefully interviewed by the Monegasque law enforcement authorities. Only then will we be granted access to him, if the doctors allow it,” the source said.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Consul General in Lyon and a representative of the embassy were sent to Monaco to provide consular assistance if necessary.
As reported by Ukrinform, on June 29 at approximately 9 p.m., an explosion occurred in a residential building in an area near the border with France, injuring three members of a Ukrainian family, including sanctioned businessman Vadym Yermolayev. According to the investigation, an unknown man left a package or bag in the building’s lobby and then fled.
As a result of the explosion, a woman who was with Yermolayev lost both legs and is in critical condition; Yermolayev himself was injured but his life is not in danger; a 13-year-old boy sustained minor injuries.
According to the authorities of the Principality of Monaco, Yermolayev is not under investigation in Monaco and is not wanted by any law enforcement agency in the world. At the same time, the businessman has been subject to Ukrainian sanctions since December 2023, in accordance with a decision by the National Security and Defense Council, which was enacted by a decree of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The sanctions are related to his business activities in Crimea, which is temporarily occupied by Russia.
Media outlets have also reported that in 2019, Yermolayev renounced his Ukrainian citizenship and obtained Cypriot citizenship.
According to French media reports, the investigation into the explosion in a residential building—which injured Ukrainian businessman Yermolayev, his companion, and a child—is being treated as an attempted murder rather than a terrorist act, Ukrinform reports.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ukrainian Embassy in France are working to identify the three victims of the high-profile explosion in Monaco, who, according to media reports, are the sanctioned Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolayev and his family members.
As a reminder, an explosion occurred in Monaco, seriously injuring Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolayev.
According to our sources, Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolayev sustained minor injuries as a result of the explosion in a residential building in Monaco.
A large-scale operation is underway in Monaco to find the perpetrator who attempted to assassinate Yermolayev.
