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CANADA PERSPECTIVE
MONACO BOMBING: INTERPOL HUNTS A UKRAINIAN SUSPECT
DOMINANT ANGLE
Ottawa views this case as a direct extension of the Russo-Ukrainian war on Western soil: a suspected Ukrainian, a sanctioned target for ties to Moscow, and an international investigation.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
ANALYSIS
Ottawa, July 4, 2026. The explosion that occurred on Monday in the lobby of a luxury residential building in Monaco led Interpol to issue a red notice against Anastasiia Berezovska, a 39-year-old Ukrainian whose last known residence is in Germany. Canadian media, from the Globe and Mail to the Toronto Sun, covered the case, highlighting its geopolitical dimensions: the booby-trapped package targeted Vadym Yermolaiev, a 58-year-old Ukrainian businessman who was sanctioned by Kiev in 2023 for alleged ties to Russia and had renounced his Ukrainian citizenship nearly a decade ago.
The device, whose remains are being analyzed in France, contained bolts and birdshot. Monaco's Deputy Prosecutor Morgan Raymond confirmed that the bomb was remotely detonated by remote control. Three people were injured - a man, a woman, and a teenager from the same family. The woman was in a "critical" condition, according to Prosecutor Stéphane Thibault; two "collateral victims" with minor injuries were also reported.
The sophistication of the device led investigators to rule out the hypothesis of an isolated act. Two men were initially arrested in Monaco before being released due to lack of evidence. It was the analysis of surveillance footage and a witness's testimony that redirected the investigation: the suspect, initially described as appearing masculine - wearing a long-sleeved dark top, light shorts, and a black bob hat - was identified as a woman. Berezovska has a tattoo, apparently a snake, on her right arm from shoulder to elbow, has dark hair, and speaks German.
After the attack, investigators retraced a getaway route from Monaco to France, then to Italy in a rental vehicle registered in Germany. Interpol's red notice is seeking her for attempted murder, depositing an explosive device in a public place for criminal purposes, and criminal association.
For Canadian media, the case illustrates the projection of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict beyond its borders. Yermolaiev is described as an oligarch with "many enemies" in Ukraine, according to the AFP, whose interests deemed close to Moscow earned him sanctions from Kiev. The investigation, coordinated from Monaco, highlights the vulnerability of figures linked to the conflict, even those established in the most protected areas of Western Europe.
KEY POINTS
- Canadians are taking notice of a recent development as Interpol has issued a red notice against Anastasiia Berezovska, born on June 26, 1987, in Ukraine, and residing in Germany, for an attempted murder plot against oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev in Monaco.
- The bomb, which was remotely detonated using a remote control and contained bolts and birdshot, injured three members of the same family; one victim was in critical condition, according to Monaco's prosecutor, Thibault.
- Yermolaiev, 58, had been hit with Ukrainian sanctions in 2023 for alleged ties to Russia; he had renounced his Ukrainian citizenship nearly a decade ago.
COGNITIVE BIASES IDENTIFIED
Canada's capital, Ottawa, is closely watching the Russo-Ukrainian geopolitical landscape, where Canadian media are framing the attack within the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, prioritizing the political dimension over the Monaco criminal investigation.
Canadian outlets show a preference for official sources, such as Interpol and Monaco's prosecutors, while the perspectives of the victims and the defense are underrepresented in the coverage.
The Canadian press provides limited coverage of the precise motivations behind the attack, with the potential chain of command and presumed masterminds remaining largely unexplored in Canadian articles.
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