The wife of a Ukrainian oligarch who had her legs blown off in a bomb attack in Monaco has been pictured for the first time. Anna Yermolaiev, 56, was fighting for her life today alongside her oligarch husband Vadym Yermolaiev, 58, while surrounded by armed officers. The couple suffered multiple shrapnel wounds on Monday evening after a backpack full of nuts and bolts exploded in the foyer of their apartment block in the Mediterranean principality. 

Ms Yermolaiev is said to be the most badly hurt, and has 'had limbs, including her legs, amputated in the past few hours', according to another source in France. A third victim has been identified as the couple's teenage son, David Yermolaiev, whose condition was said to be 'stable'. Images of the man who targeted them at the iconic Sun Palace flats were captured on CCTV, and he is still at large, and described by a police source as 'armed and dangerous'. Christophe Mirmand, Monaco's Secretary of State, said: 'It was noted that the man had driven around the area several times before the bomb blast, allowing him to lie in wait for the victims. 'This clearly indicates that he was likely conducting surveillance.'

Four other people were treated by emergency services for shock and cuts from shattered windows. Yermolaiev and his wife have been transported to secure rooms at the Pasteur Hospital in the French city of Nice, some 12 miles from the blast zone. An Interior Ministry source in Paris said the French RAID, which stands for 'Research, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence', was surrounding them. The elite tactical police unit mainly deals with high-profile counter-terrorism cases and the protection of VIPs. Ermolaev, who made his fortune in commerce following the collapse of the Soviet Union, has made a huge number of enemies since fleeing his native Ukraine around a decade ago.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky authorised sanctions against him in December 2023 because his drinks business in the occupied Crimea was still doing business with the enemy. He produces a 'geographically protected Crimean wine for the Russians', which is still sold in Europe and the United States, said an investigating source. Yermolaiev is also a co-owner of Versobank, an Estonian bank which had its licence suspended by the European Central Bank in March 2018 for the 'systematic violation of anti-money laundering legislation.'

Yermolaiev's eldest son, 36-year-old Artur Yermolaiev, was arrested by police in Cyprus at the end of 2025, following claims that both he and his father were making millions from fraudulent call centres targeting EU citizens. Both Yermolaievs deny any wrongdoing, saying all of their business activities are above board. Yermolaiev was originally a real estate developer in his home city of Dnipro, central Ukraine, where he set up his hugely successful Alef Group. In recent years, the family has been living in absolute luxury in Monaco, where they have had a very high profile. Ermolaev was known for parking his Ukrainian-registered Bentley outside the Monte Carlo Casino.

He also owned a super yacht flying the Ukrainian flag and owned a high-security villa in nearby Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Yermolaiev has stated that the Ukrainian tax system is 'very unfair', and this prompted him to take Cypriot nationality in 2019. An aide to France's Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, said police were working 'to find the perpetrator, who has fled'. Monaco is a globally famous tax haven on the French Riviera, full of high-net-worth residents. It prides itself on its crime-free reputation and attracts billionaire businesspeople and celebrities from all over the world.

But there have been numerous corruption scandals on the so-called Rock in recent years, including allegations of money laundering by mafia-style gangs, including ones from Ukraine. Prince Albert, the ruler of Monaco, has pledged to clamp down on corruption, with the help of the French authorities. Despite Monaco's independence, its defence is primarily the responsibility of the government in Paris. Following the bomb blast, Prince Albert described the atrocity as 'obnoxious', adding: 'The Principality of Monaco will remain united and determined in the face of violence and crime. The safety of our community has always been a priority – it will remain so more than ever, whatever the threats.'