Police and emergency crews surrounded a residential block in Monaco after a parcel bomb detonated near the border with France, injuring wealthy Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolaiev, his wife and 13‑year‑old son.

The blast was reported at about 21:00 local time, with emergency services arriving roughly five minutes later.

Video surveillance showed a man dropping a backpack in the lobby before the explosion; footage now shows him fleeing to the French commune of Beausoleil.

Monaco’s government and Prince Albert II condemned the incident, calling it a heinous crime and mobilised state services alongside French authorities.

Yermolaiev, a former Ukrainian citizen who now holds Cypriot nationality, has interests in the wine sector in Russian‑annexed Crimea and has been sanctioned by Kyiv since 2023.

Blown out window in Monaco after parcel bomb
Police near the scene of the blast in Monaco