Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolayev, against whom Ukraine imposed sanctions in late 2023, accuses current employees of the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense of involvement in an assassination attempt against him and his family in Monaco on June 29, while the Intelligence Agency rejects these accusations as detrimental to the investigation.
"According to the available evidence, the conspiracy extended beyond the immediate perpetrators and organizers to include current Intelligence Agency's employees associated with them, including individuals close to the agency's current and former leadership," Yermolayev states in an open letter dated July 15, which was sent to Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday by the Ukrainian law firm Dynasty Law &Investment, which has long served as legal counsel to the Yermolayev family.
At the same time, a representative of the Main Intelligence Agency Andriy Yusov in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine, urged people to rely only on verified sources and categorically rejected these accusations. He emphasized that they are "speculative political statements" and are harmful to the investigation.
In his letter, Yermolayev said he wrote it with the consent of the investigative authorities and in light of his current state of health: he remains in the intensive care unit and is only now beginning a long recovery process, while his partner Anna suffered catastrophic and irreversible injuries, and his 13-year-old son has suffered burns, fractures, and other serious injuries.
The sanctioned businessman thanked the authorities of the Principality of Monaco and France, as well as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "for his personal attention to this case and the assistance already provided," and requested that his family, witnesses, and attorneys be protected. He explained that he made his statement public because he wanted these allegations to be thoroughly, independently, and transparently investigated.
As previously reported, on July 3, Interpol issued an international arrest warrant for 39-year-old Ukrainian citizen Anastasia Berezovska in connection with the attempted assassination of Yermolayev in Monaco. According to Monaco law enforcement, she was suspected of planting an explosive device that left Yermolayev and his relatives seriously injured.
Later, Berezovska's body was found in Ukraine, and the National Police, the State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Main Intelligence Agency, and the General Prosecutor's Office detained two individuals on suspicion of her murder – an employee of the Intelligence Agency and a former SBU employee. Investigators believe the men are likely also involved in the attempted assassination of the Ukrainian businessman in Monaco, as they have evidence that the men repeatedly made transfers to Berezovska's cryptocurrency and bank accounts.
On July 9, Pechersky District Court of Kyiv remanded former SBU employee Vitaliy Zhikovych, who is suspected of Berezovska's murder, into custody without the possibility of bail.
The SBU said all information available to Ukrainian law enforcement agencies has been provided to the investigative authorities of the Principality of Monaco, and that the Prosecutor General's Office is working closely with the law enforcement agencies of the Principality of Monaco.
