Anastasiia Berezovska, the suspect wanted by Interpol for a deliberate explosion in Monaco that left Ukrainian billionaire Vadim Ermolaev critically injured, has been found shot dead in Kyiv, according to Ukrainian police.
Suspect found dead in Kyiv
Ukrainian police discovered Berezovska's body in Kyiv at around 11pm on Monday night. The woman had reportedly been shot, sources told Ukrainian outlet Pravda. A current officer of the Main Intelligence Directorate and a former law enforcement officer have been detained in connection with her death.
Wanted for attempted murder
Berezovska was wanted on suspicion of attempted murder, placing an explosive device on a public road with criminal intent, and criminal conspiracy. Interpol issued an arrest warrant for her and described the suspect as having a large tattoo possibly of a snake on her right arm from the shoulder to elbow. Authorities believe she was working with accomplices, and a warrant for her arrest has been issued.
Background of the suspect
Berezovska had Ukrainian nationality and could speak German. However, Ukrainian sources also suggested that she could have been born in Kazakhstan, with a Russian passport and living in Crimea, possessing Ukrainian documents so she could easily live in the European Union. Berezovska was reportedly pro-Vladimir Putin and known for her ties to organised crime.
The explosion in Monaco
The explosion occurred on Monday at a residential block in the La Rousse district of Monaco. Billionaire Vadim Ermolaev, 58, was left in a critical condition, while his 'lover' Anna Nasobina needed to have both legs amputated. Ermolaev's teenage son was also injured and rushed to a hospital in Nice.
The suspect was allegedly seen on CCTV, wearing a black hat, tracksuit, white jeans, and trainers, dropping off bags shortly before the blast at around 9pm. The backpack was believed to have been full of nuts and bolts, with the Monaco prosecutor claiming the person responsible for planting it then used a remote control to detonate. A suspect likely used a car with a German registration plate.
Witness accounts
In the immediate aftermath of the blast, one fellow resident said it sounded as if 'thunder was coming from behind the mountains'. Silvano Ippolito, who lives across from the building, told BFM TV: 'She was slumped over, covered in blood.' He called for his wife, who is a doctor and was able to intervene 'very quickly, before the emergency services arrived, to apply tourniquets and perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation' as Nasobina was 'losing consciousness'.
