Manhunt underway after bomb explosion wounds three at Monaco residence

A parcel bomb explosion at a residential building in Monaco on Monday, June 29, 2026, seriously injured three individuals, including Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Iermolaiev and his family. The blast, which occurred shortly before 9 p.m., also wounded Iermolaiev's wife and their 13-year-old daughter; the adults sustained life-threatening injuries. Officials described the device as containing buckshot and bolts, underscoring the deliberate nature of the attack.

Monacan authorities, in cooperation with French police, have launched an extensive manhunt for the perpetrator. Surveillance footage reportedly shows a suspect dropping a backpack at the building's entrance before fleeing towards the French border town of Beausoleil. This incident marks the first attack of its kind in Monaco's history, with Prince Albert II condemning it as an "odious act".

The motive behind the explosion remains under investigation. Reports indicate that Vadym Iermolaiev had been subject to sanctions from Kyiv since December 2023 due to his business activities in Russian-occupied Crimea. The targeted nature of the attack has led to a joint cross-border effort to apprehend the fugitive.