What changed
Vitalii Zhykovych, a jailed former Ukrainian security-services officer, has publicly alleged that senior members of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, HUR, authorised the June bombing in Monaco targeting businessman Vadym Yermolayev.
Zhykovych says fellow intelligence officer Vladyslav Reut proposed the operation and supplied explosives to Anastasia Berezovska, who allegedly planted the device. The blast badly injured Yermolayev and his 13-year-old son and left his partner with catastrophic injuries.
Why it matters
This turns a disputed bombing case into a question about possible state involvement. Zhykovych describes himself as a freelance SBU operative and says Berezovska was his agent, but insists he neither sent her to kill nor killed her.
Berezovska was found shot dead in woods west of Kyiv a week after the attack. Zhykovych and Reut each blame the other. Reut initially confessed to investigators and led them to the grave, then changed his testimony in court and blamed Zhykovych instead.
The central allegation remains unproven. Responsibility for both the Monaco bombing and Berezovska’s killing is disputed, and the extent of any official involvement has not been established. HUR says it supports a full investigation.
The next meaningful developments will be evidence that tests the competing accounts: the investigation into the bombing, the murder case over Berezovska’s death, and any findings about whether HUR personnel or superiors authorised the operation.
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