In brief
A former Ukrainian security officer, Vitalii Zhykovych, has spoken to the BBC from prison in Kyiv about the June 2026 bomb attack on multimillion‑aire Vadym Yermolayev in Monaco. He alleges the plot was orchestrated by senior officials within Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) and that the bomber, Anastasia Berezovska, was an agent of his. Zhykovych claims revenge for Yermolayev’s alleged payments to Russia in Crimea was the motive and that he was mistakenly used as a scapegoat after being implicated in the shoot‑down of Berezovska in a wood near Kyiv. The new testimony adds another layer of intrigue to the investigations of both the Monaco blast and Berezovska’s death.
A former Ukrainian security services officer, Vitalii Zhykovych, has given a one‑time interview to the BBC from prison in Kyiv, revealing new details about a June 2026 bomb attack that targeted billionaire Vadym Yermolayev and his family on Monaco’s seafront.
According to Zhykovych, the plot was ordered by senior members of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) and that the bomber, 39‑year‑old Anastasia Berezovska, was an agent working for him. He said the motive was retaliation for Yermolayev’s alleged payments to Russia for businesses operating in annexed Crimea.
Zhykovych explained that active‑duty HUR officer Vladyslav Reut had proposed the operation and that Besrezzovka was first transported into Ukraine for reconnaissance. When She declined, Reut allegedly sent her to carry out the bombing. She was later shot in a wooded area near Kyiv, with both men accusing each other of the killing.
The former SBU officer, who calls himself a “freelancer” for Ukraine’s security services, stated he was not the one who commissioned the hit and that the operation was ‘politically motivated’. He also hinted that a second target, possibly a pro‑Russian blogger convicted in absentia, was involved, but refused to name the individual.
Yermolayev, who has since renounced his Ukrainian passport and now holds Cypriot citizenship, dismissed the allegations as baseless, saying he had no ties to Russia. The case has prompted further scrutiny of security operations in Ukraine and the blurred lines between state and covert action.
