Woman suspected of attempted murder of businessman Yermolaiev in Monaco found dead near Kyiv

Mykhailo Tkach, Tetyana Oliynyk, Anastasia Prots - 7 July, 10:23

Screenshot: Interpol

The body of a woman suspected of involvement in the attempted murder of sanctioned Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolaiev was found near Kyiv on 6 July.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda sources in Ukrainian law enforcement

Details: According to the sources, the woman's body was discovered at around 23:00 on 6 July. They said she had been shot dead.

The sources also said the woman had been outside Ukraine from 22 March 2025 until 1 July 2026.

Another Ukrainska Pravda law enforcement source said two suspects had been detained in connection with the case. One is an active officer of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, while the other is a former law enforcement officer.

Watch on YouTube: The Monaco Battalion 4: Ukrainska Pravda tracks down Operation Midas suspects on the French Riviera (English subtitles to appear shortly)

For reference: Vadym Yermolaiev, a businessman from Dnipro, founded the Alef industrial and commercial group and is one of the city's largest property developers. He previously featured regularly on Forbes Ukraine's list of the country's 100 richest people. In 2019, he renounced his Ukrainian citizenship in favour of Cypriot citizenship.

He was also featured in Ukrainska Pravda's Monaco Battalion investigation into Ukrainian businessmen, politicians and oligarchs who settled on the French Riviera after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Background:

At around 21:00 on 29 June, three people were injured in an explosion in Monaco, two of them critically. According to media reports, the victims included Yermolaiev and people close to him.
The explosion triggered a large-scale manhunt for the suspect believed to have planted the explosive device. Surveillance footage reportedly captured a man suspected of carrying out the attack, who is believed to have fled to France.
Monaco's authorities have since ruled out terrorism as a motive. Instead, the Principality's Prosecutor General has opened an investigation into attempted murder and the placement of an explosive device in a public place.
Media reports have said investigators in Monaco are also examining a possible link to the Security Service of Ukraine.