Vitalii Zhykovych, a former officer of Ukraine's security services, has spoken from a Kyiv prison about his alleged involvement in a bomb attack targeting millionaire Vadym Yermolayev in Monaco last June. In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Zhykovych claims that the operation was sanctioned by senior members of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, HUR.
The bomb exploded as Yermolayev and his family returned from dinner, injuring him, his 13-year-old son, and his partner. Yermolayev described their survival as "nothing short of a miracle." Zhykovych maintains that he did not orchestrate the attack, nor did he kill Anastasia Berezovska, the woman accused of planting the bomb, who was later found dead in a wooded area near Kyiv.
Details of the Monaco Bombing Incident
Zhykovych, who refers to himself as a "freelancer" for Ukraine's SBU security service, alleged that the operation was initiated by Vladyslav Reut, an active-duty intelligence officer from HUR. According to Zhykovych, Reut described the attack as an official mission, approved by his superiors in HUR.
“As Reut informed me, this operation […] had been authorised and approved by Reut's superiors,” Zhykovych stated. He claims that after he refused to send Berezovska for the bombing due to her lack of training, Reut decided to use her for reconnaissance instead.
Conflicting Testimonies and Allegations
Reut initially confessed to investigators about his involvement and led them to Berezovska's grave, but later changed his testimony to implicate Zhykovych. The two men are now blaming each other for her death.
