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AUSTRALIA PERSPECTIVE
MONACO BOMBING: INTERPOL HUNTS A UKRAINIAN SUSPECT
DOMINANT ANGLE
Australia views the Monaco attack as a revealing episode of violence linked to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict: a Ukrainian suspect disguised as a man, being tracked by Interpol across Europe.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
ANALYSIS
Canberra, July 4, 2026. The case of the booby-trapped package in Monaco has turned into an international manhunt after Interpol issued a red notice for Anastasiia Berezovska, a 39-year-old Ukrainian national suspected of orchestrating the attack that injured a wealthy businessman in the Mediterranean principality.
On Monday evening, a bomb exploded at the entrance of an apartment building in Monaco, injuring three members of the same family. The presumed target is Vadym Yermolaiev, a Ukrainian construction magnate. He, his partner, and his son were hit in the explosion; one of them remained in critical condition by the end of the week, according to Monaco's prosecutors.
Interpol's red notice states that Berezovska speaks German and has a tattoo - apparently a snake - on her right arm, from shoulder to elbow. The investigation took an unexpected turn: initially identified as a heavily built man wearing a dark long-sleeved top and a black bob hat, the suspect was finally identified as a woman disguised as a man after a thorough examination of surveillance footage and a witness's testimony.
The modus operandi was detailed by Morgan Raymond, Monaco's deputy prosecutor: the suspect dropped a package in front of the building and then triggered the explosion remotely using a remote control as the three victims approached. She then fled on foot to neighboring France, picked up a rented vehicle from Germany, and headed to that country, crossing several European countries, including Italy.
Yermolaiev is a figure with a complex profile. According to PerthNow, he renounced his Ukrainian citizenship nearly a decade ago and was targeted by Ukrainian sanctions in 2023 for alleged ties to Russia. Monaco has not confirmed his identity, stating only that the victims seemed to have been specifically targeted. The case is set against a backdrop of tensions related to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which has led to a surge in violent incidents on European soil.
The charges brought by Monaco against Berezovska are severe: attempted murder, depositing an explosive device in a public place with criminal intent, and criminal conspiracy. Interpol is asking all law enforcement agencies to locate and provisionally arrest the suspect. The remains of the device are being analyzed in France. According to ABC News Australia, authorities believe Berezovska likely did not act alone, leaving open the question of a larger network.
KEY POINTS
- Australians are closely following a case in which Interpol has issued a red notice for Anastasiia Berezovska, a 39-year-old Ukrainian woman who speaks German, on charges of attempted murder, planting an explosive device, and criminal conspiracy
- The suspect had disguised herself as a man during the attack and was only identified as a woman after an extensive review of surveillance footage and a witness testimony
- The presumed target, Vadym Yermolaiev, had renounced his Ukrainian citizenship and had been subject to Ukrainian sanctions since 2023 due to alleged ties to Russia
COGNITIVE BIASES IDENTIFIED
Criminal procedural framework: Australian coverage prioritizes investigation details and Interpol mechanisms over geopolitical analysis
Preference for official sources: information relies on statements from Monaco prosecutors and Interpol, without independent voices
Limited coverage of motivations: the background and presumed motives of suspect Berezovska are absent, with coverage limited to identification elements
SOURCES (2)
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