Three people were left severely injured after a blast from an explosive device in Monaco, while the attacker fleed to France, according to local authorities. The 9 pm explosion occurred at a residence entryway near the French border, injuring two adults and a child who were taken to French hospitals, as Monaco’s most senior government official, minister of state Christophe Mirmand, told reporters.
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Ukrainian construction tycoon Vadym Iermolaiev was identified as one of the injured by French broadcaster BFM. He and his partner sustained life-threatening wounds and are in critical condition and their 13-year-old son also suffered injuries.
In 2023, he was targeted by Ukrainian sanctions for ties to Russia, according to local reports.
The motive of the attacker is under investigation as the French and Monaco authorities continue their search, he added. He has called it a “deliberate explosion.”
The elite principality on the Mediterranean Coast expressed shock at the attack. Prince Albert II, Monaco’s leader, called it “an odious act.” He said all the country’s services were mobilized to ensure safety, according to AP.
The suspect, who crossed French border on foot, was identified through video surveillance in Monaco and the neighboring French town of Beausoleil, according to Mirmand. He dropped a backpack in the building soon before the explosion.
BBC reported that more than 100 police and emergency personnel were deployed to the scene. The French police are looking for the attacker and aiding the investigation, said a French national police official, without elaboration.
