Moment Monaco bomber strikes: Ukraine releases new footage of assassination attempt on oligarch that blew off his partner's legs and wounded their son

A Ukrainian businessman who survived an assassination attempt in the French principality of Monaco has accused Ukraine's military intelligence agency of orchestrating the attack. Vadym Iermolaiev, who suffered severe injuries alongside his partner and young child during the bombing, claims that members of the GUR, Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate, were directly involved in the plot. His statements, released through his legal representatives, mark the first time he has publicly addressed the incident, which occurred earlier this year and sent shockwaves through the affluent region. The explosion took place as Iermolaiev exited a building with his partner, Anna, and their 13-year-old son. A bomb planted by Anastasiia Berezovska, a Ukrainian national, detonated nearby, causing extensive damage to the structure and injuring all three. French authorities have since identified Berezovska as the suspect responsible for placing the explosive device in a public area with criminal intent. Days after the attack, Berezovska was discovered dead near Kyiv, prompting Ukrainian police to arrest two men, Vladyslav Reut, a GUR officer, and Oleksandr Zhykovych, a former law enforcement official, on suspicion of her murder. Reut appeared in a Kyiv court recently, asserting that Zhykovych was solely responsible for Berezovska’s death. Prosecutors allege that both men forced her at gunpoint into a vehicle and transported her to a remote forest near the village of Yuriv, approximately 40 miles west of Kyiv, where she was killed. Meanwhile, Iermolaiev has dismissed the claim that the attack was the work of a lone rogue agent, insisting instead that the conspiracy involved higher-ranking GUR personnel, possibly even those linked to the agency’s leadership. Iermolaiev described the blast as devastating, noting that it was powerful enough to destroy steel railings and stone steps outside his residence. He emphasized that the attack was not merely a warning but an effort to eliminate him and his family. His partner sustained catastrophic and irreversible injuries, while their son suffered burns, fractures, and other serious wounds. Iermolaiev himself remains in intensive care, undergoing a lengthy recovery process. The incident has placed additional pressure on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose administration faces growing scrutiny. If the allegations of GUR involvement gain traction, they could strain Ukraine’s relationships with its European allies. The timing of the attack is particularly sensitive, coming amid political tensions surrounding Zelenskyy’s recent decision to dismiss Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s previously popular defense minister. Protests in support of Fedorov have been held in cities like Lviv, highlighting the domestic unrest. Iermolaiev, a prominent businessman with an estimated net worth of $220 million, was sanctioned by Ukraine in 2023 for allegedly engaging in trade within Russian-occupied Crimea and for paying taxes to the Russian government. While Ukraine has conducted several high-profile attacks targeting Russian military figures and pro-Kremlin officials inside Russia, this marks the first instance of such an operation occurring on European soil. Iermolaiev has not been publicly associated with pro-Russian sentiments or aligned with Moscow in any capacity. The motives behind the attack remain uncertain, though the connection between Iermolaiev and the GUR appears to be central to the unfolding investigation. As the case progresses, it will likely draw increased attention from international observers and raise questions about the internal dynamics within Ukraine’s security apparatus.