According to Ruslan Kravchenko, the video he published on social media shows the assassination attempt against Ukrainian oligarch Vadim Yermolayev and his family in Monaco. Ukraine’s Prosecutor General emphasized that authorities managed to recover one of the most critical pieces of evidence in the assassination attempt case against the Ukrainian businessman in the Principality. The perpetrators allegedly placed the recording device near the attack site. Ukrainian outlet UNN reported that they had attempted to destroy it, but specialists from Ukraine’s Security Service Ukraine (SBU) successfully recovered it. The footage shows a man in a wide-brimmed hat briefly crouching on the steps of the apartment building before walking away while talking on his phone, just as a young boy, a man, and a woman are about to enter. The young boy leaves a black bag at the spot and walks away. The footage shows the man in black within clear line of sight of the three who follow. However, the moment they step onto the fourth stair, the explosion occurs.
The murder of Berezovska
The thriller has all the hallmarks of an operation that could have been lifted straight from a KGB playbook. The Prosecutor General stated that urgent investigative and procedural steps to gather new evidence are ongoing. He also extended his thanks to SBU operational staff, the National Police, investigators, and prosecutors for their coordination and cooperation. “We continue to work toward fully uncovering the circumstances of the crime, determining the role of each person involved, and bringing those responsible to justice. No piece of evidence will be left out of the investigation,” Kravchenko stated.
The incident took place on June 30, with Vadim Yermolayev, his partner, and their 13-year-old son all injured in the blast. Both the businessman’s partner and son are Ukrainian nationals. According to reports, all three were taken to hospital, while Yermolayev and his partner were listed in serious condition. Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General subsequently confirmed the opening of criminal proceedings for the attempted murder of the businessman. Anastasia Berezovska had been considered a suspect, allegedly paid €130,000 to carry out the killing. However, her body was discovered on July 7. The investigation into Berezovska led to two suspects. The Pecherskyi District Court of Kyiv ordered pretrial detention without bail for Vladyslav Roit, who is charged with Berezovska’s murder. A similar measure was subsequently imposed on the second suspect, Vitaliy Zykovych.
Meanwhile, Ruslan Kravchenko, together with representatives from the SBU and the National Police, held an online meeting with the Prosecutor General of the Principality of Monaco, Stéphane Thibaud. Both sides discussed the criminal proceedings relating to both the attempted assassination of the Ukrainian oligarch and the murder of Berezovska. Kravchenko stressed that Ukraine remains fully open to cooperation with Monaco’s authorities in accordance with established international legal procedures.
