Monaco Bombing: Ukraine Spy Link Under Investigation

Published: 10 July 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

The investigation into a violent explosion in Monaco has taken a dark turn. A suspected bomber who targeted a wealthy Ukrainian businessman was herself brutally murdered. Authorities are now uncovering potential links to the intelligence agencies operating within Ukraine today. French police identified the primary suspect as Anastasia Berezovska earlier this past week. They captured clear footage of her leaving a rucksack near a luxury apartment complex. The bag detonated as Vadym Iermolaiev emerged from the building with his young family. The businessman suffered injuries alongside his partner and their thirteen year old child nearby. Prosecutors noted that Berezovska disguised herself as a man before fleeing the intense scene. She escaped in a vehicle with German plates through France and then into Italy. On the first of July she managed to travel back home into war torn Ukraine. Officials announced on Tuesday that they found her body in woods near the capital.

Ukraine’s SBU intelligence agency stated that two men had previously paid the suspect money. One of these individuals, Vladyslav Reut, appeared in a Kyiv court room on Thursday afternoon. Prosecutors charged him with the murder of the woman who planted the bomb in Monaco. Reut identified his alleged accomplice as Vitaliy Zhykovych, a former police officer from the region. Local media reports suggest that Reut studied law at a major university in the capital. He reportedly worked for the GUR, which is the military intelligence agency of Ukraine. Records show he served in a special training centre for elite military operations units. Appearing before a judge, Reut claimed that Zhykovych carried out the execution in cold blood. The two men took the woman at gunpoint to a remote forest near a village. The location sits roughly forty miles to the west of the bustling Ukrainian capital city.

Reut told the judge that Zhykovych fired the first fatal shot into her back head. She collapsed to the ground, and he stepped closer to finish the grim task today. He claimed he stood just a few metres away during the entire horrific violent event. The witness stated four shots were fired before he was forced to dig a hole. Zhykovych allegedly took all of her belongings and removed her trainers from her cold feet. Reut insisted he is innocent and asked to undergo a polygraph test for the court. The lawyer for Zhykovych said his client denies every single one of these serious allegations. The SBU stated they found the body after the men provided detailed confessions to them. Officers successfully recovered spent bullet casings from the forest floor to support their ongoing case. They also published footage showing a room described as a torture chamber in a basement. Investigators later clarified that the victim was not actually tortured before her death occurred here.

Given the military intelligence connection, this case is deeply embarrassing for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today. Officials insist the two men were acting alone, but the optics remain very poor indeed. President Emmanuel Macron has urged Zelenskyy to resolve this shady affair and punish those responsible. Responding to the media, Zelenskyy said he expects further reports on the matter very soon. He promised the public that he would provide an update on this widely reported incident. Investigative journalist Mykhailo Tkach suggested it is difficult to imagine a worse scenario for the nation. He warned that explaining the involvement of government officials will be a very difficult task. The situation clearly demands a thorough and transparent explanation at the highest possible political level.

In the previous year, Ukraine imposed personal sanctions on Iermolaiev, a very wealthy citizen. His fortune is estimated by Forbes at over two hundred million dollars for the year. The SBU accused him of trading alcohol in Crimea and paying taxes to the Russians. Iermolaiev described these serious charges as absolutely surreal and claimed he supported the Ukrainian military. His son was also accused of creating a criminal organization focused on large telephone scams. Estonian investigators claimed he set up fraudulent call centres with three other named defendants. He paid a large fine and left the country shortly after receiving a suspended sentence. One source familiar with the businessman suggested the bombing was likely a criminal act instead. They argued that the dispute probably involved protection money rather than any specific political motive. The source believed that the woman was simply viewed as disposable by her criminal associates.

Details regarding the life of the victim are still slowly emerging from various sources. She had been staying in Frankfurt, where German police recently searched her small apartment. Before her time in Germany, she lived in Zhytomyr and made a living breeding dogs. A local court found her guilty of petty hooliganism during the year of twenty twenty. A ruling stated she insulted another woman while intoxicated and used very foul language. The speed of the arrests has surprised observers who follow international security matters quite closely. The SBU directly blamed an employee from the rival GUR agency, causing some significant tension. Some experts speculate this reflects a deep animosity between the two powerful security rival organisations.

There are many unanswered questions regarding how she managed to cross back into Ukraine safely. It remains unclear whether she acted entirely alone during the attack in Monaco last week. The state border service claimed she entered the country lawfully through a regular border point. They stated that French authorities had not issued a warrant for her arrest at time. During her border checks, no database alerts indicated that she was a wanted person then. In the capital, these mysterious events have raised valid concerns about the nation’s reputation. Parliamentary deputy Oleksandr Merezhko said he hopes this does not have a serious long term impact. He noted that the allies of the nation deserve a clear and honest full explanation. He remarked that the speed of the apprehension could be interpreted as a highly effective operation. The investigation continues as officials attempt to untangle this complex and disturbing international web.

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