A UKRAINIAN oligarch who was injured in a bomb blast that blew off his mistress’ legs and wounded his son has finally broken his silence.
Vadym Ermolaev slammed his own country for the attack in Monaco and accused Ukrainian spies of trying to assassinate him.
Vadim Ermolaev, one of the richest men in Ukraine, blames his own country for the blastCredit: Not known clear with picture desk
Anna Nasobina, 46, had her legs blown off in the bomb attack Credit: East2West
In his first statement since the explosion, the tycoon said there was “no doubt” that “serving officers of the main intelligence directorate of the military of defence of Ukraine” had coordinated the bombing.
The property magnate, 58, had been returning home with his son and long-time partner Anna Nasobina, 46, on June 29 when a bomb ripped through his luxury flat.
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A booby-trapped backpack – stuffed with bolts and pellets – had exploded in the lobby.
Ermolaev said the blast was “powerful enough to tear apart steel railings and destroy the stone steps outside our home”.
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The bomb was so powerful it blew apart the apartment’s stone steps Credit: EPA
Nasobina lost both her legs – an injury the oligarch described as “catastrophic and irreversible” – while he said his young son suffered “burns, fractures and severe trauma”.
He added: “I remain in intensive care and am only now beginning the long process of recovery.
“This was not a warning. It was an attempt to kill not only me, but my family as well.”
The bomb blast rocked the wealthy enclave in Monaco, southern France, which previously had one of the lowest crime rates in the world.
Within days, Interpol had identified a suspect – a snake-tattooed woman who had disguised herself as a man to plant the deadly device.
CCTV footage of the scene shows a man dropping off the backpack in the luxury flat before fleeing the scene.
The male bomber was in fact believed to be Anastasiia Berezovska, 39, a dangerous pro-Russia collaborator.
She escaped the scene of the crime in France and fled through Italy, Germany and Poland before entering Ukraine.
Suspected bomber Anastasiia Berezovska, 39, was killed in Kyiv Credit: East2West
Vitaly Zhikovich, 49, is a suspect in the killing of Anastasiia Berezovska Credit: East2West
But on July 6 she was discovered dead in a forest near Kyiv with four bullet wounds to the back of her head.
A former spy, Vladyslav Reut, and a current member of Ukraine‘s secret service, Vitaliy Zhykovych, were arrested on suspicion of killing the woman.
Both had made bank transfers and cryptocurrency payments to Berezovska before her death.
The former and current spies had gone rogue, according to Ukrainian prosecutors, but Vadim Ermolaev believes top-level bosses are involved in a cover-up.
In a statement published by his lawyers, he said: “The conspiracy extended beyond the direct perpetrators and organisers to include serving HUR officers connected to them, including individuals close to the agency’s current and former leadership.”
The tycoon did not provide evidence for his allegations.
He added that his statement was “directed neither against Ukraine nor against the Ukrainian people”.
He expressly thanked Volodymyr Zelensky for the “personal attention” he has given the case.
The president had previously sanctioned Ermolaev for alleged money-laundering in Crimea – which the businessman denies.
Who is Vadim Ermolaev?
UKRAINIAN oligarch Vadim Ermolaev has been left in critical condition after a huge explosion rocked Monaco.
The multi-millionaire made his fortune as a property developer in Dnipro, central Ukraine.
Ermolaev left the country with his wife and two children, becoming a citizen of Cyprus in 2019.
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) put him on a list of 84 nationals whom they suspected had fled the country.
He set up Alef Group after the fall of the Soviet Union, which was involved in wine and spirit production in Crimea.
His company built the tallest building in Ukraine, the Brama complex in Dnipro.
In December 2023, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the multi-millionaire, freezing some of his assets.
Like many oligarchs who became rich following the fall of the Soviet Union, he has faced accusations of criminality, including money laundering, which he denies.
Ermolaev has four children – two boys and two girls – with his wife, Anna Ermolaev, who is a dentist and charity worker.
In recent years, the family has been living in luxury in Monte Carlo, where they have a very high profile.
Ermolaev was known for parking his Ukrainian-registered Bentley outside the Monte Carlo Casino Square.
He also owned a super yacht flying the Ukrainian flag and owned a high-security villa in nearby Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
Around a hundred Ukrainian oligarchs have fled the war with Russia for life on the French Riviera, including in Monaco.
