Three members of the same family of Ukrainian origin have been injured, with "critical" and "less serious" prognoses, after the explosion of a device placed at the entrance of a building in the city of Monaco.
According to the spokesman for the Monegasque Ministry of the Interior, Lionel Beffre, the injured are a man and a woman between 50 and 60 years old and a minor. The two adults were evacuated to Pasteur Hospital in Nice and the teenager was transferred to Lenval Hospital.
In a press conference, the Minister of State of Monaco, Christophe Mirmand, stated that, after the three victims were treated for "serious injuries," the medical team assigned two of them a "critical" diagnosis and the third a "less serious" one, a category that was later also extended to one of the initially critical individuals.
Regarding the link between the affected individuals, Mirmand indicated that "it seems so" they were a family. "The three were at the entrance of the building they were entering when the bomb exploded. Therefore, we can assume they were relatives, that they probably belonged to the same family," he pointed out, although he insisted that "it would be very prudent to affirm it."
Although the minister avoided confirming their identities, a source close to the case cited by the French channel BFMTV claims that the man would be the Ukrainian oligarch Vadim Ermolaev -- the 23rd richest person in his country, according to Forbes magazine -- and the woman, his partner. Born in the Dnipropetrovsk region, bordering Crimea, Ermolaev would have built a large part of his fortune in the wine sector. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) included him in a list of 84 citizens who may have left the country.
In addition to these three victims, two other people suffered minor injuries and two others required medical assistance for being in a state of shock, according to an official statement from the Government of Monaco.
The suspect, recorded while fleeing towards French territory
According to the Minister of State's account, the events occurred when "at 8:58 p.m. an explosion occurred in the Place des Moulins, in a building that was the target of an act whose legal classification will be determined by the judicial authorities." Without using the term terrorist attack, Mirmand limited himself to indicating that "the incident took place at the entrance of the building" and that "an explosive device was used."
The alleged perpetrator has been "captured by security cameras fleeing towards the city of Beausoleil, in France," the Executive has stated, explaining that, after this finding, "access to the Principality has been immediately restricted." In parallel, the Public Prosecutor's Office has been informed and an investigation has been opened, with a "collection of forensic evidence (...) until late at night," according to the same statement.
The Police have activated a large operation to locate those responsible, with checks on the highway connecting to the commune of La Turbie, in the canton of Beausoleil. French security forces have also been mobilized on the other side of the border.
The French municipalities of Menton, La Turbie, and Nice have sent Firefighter reinforcements to the Principality to support local emergency services. The Monegasque government has put the deployment at 40 national firefighters and ten French, in addition to 84 police officers.
Prince Albert II calls for calm and is confident that the facts will be clarified
Following the incident, Prince Albert II of Monaco issued a message expressing his condolences, as well as those of Princess Charlene and his family. "Likewise, we praise the extraordinary work of the public security forces, who are managing the situation with rigor and serenity, ensuring prompt attention to the victims and the security of the area," he added.
"Under the authority of the Government, all relevant state services are mobilized, working in close collaboration with the French authorities," he stressed before expressing his confidence that "they will quickly clarify the circumstances of this tragedy, identify those responsible, and provide all necessary answers at all levels."
"More than ever, the Principality of Monaco will remain united and firm in the face of violence and crime. The security of our community has always been a priority; and it will continue to be more than ever, whatever the threats," concluded the head of the Monegasque state.