Suspect in Monaco bomb plot claims operation was approved
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
A former Ukrainian security officer accused in the Monaco bomb plot against Vadim Ermolaev says he believed the operation had official approval.
A former officer with Ukraine's security services, now accused of killing the woman suspected of planting a bomb targeting businessman Vadim Ermolaev in Monaco in June, has given an interview to the BBC in which he claims he believed the operation carried the backing of his chain of command.
The suspect alleges that a serving officer of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, the GUR, was aware of and sanctioned the plot. That officer is now disputing his own earlier account before investigating authorities, according to the BBC report that first carried the suspect's statements.
The case has drawn attention in Monaco given the rarity of violent attacks within the Principality, where security is normally tight across residential and business districts. Ermolaev was the target of the June bombing, and the woman suspected of planting the device was later found dead, with the former officer now facing accusations over her killing.
For residents and property owners in Monaco, the affair underscores how international disputes, in this case apparently linked to Ukrainian intelligence operations, can surface within the Principality's borders despite its reputation for low crime and robust policing.