A coordinated manhunt is under way in Monaco following a bomb attack that seriously injured a Ukrainian oligarch, with British police providing tactical support to local authorities. The explosion occurred at approximately 8:15am local time on Tuesday outside a private residence in the Larvotto district, a wealthy enclave favoured by international business figures. The victim, identified as 52-year-old Dmytro Kovalenko, a Ukrainian metals magnate with close ties to Kyiv’s political establishment, sustained severe shrapnel wounds to his lower body and was airlifted to the Princess Grace Hospital in critical condition.
Monégasque prosecutors have confirmed that the device was planted in a vehicle parked near the residence and detonated remotely. Three individuals are being sought: two men and one woman, believed to have fled the scene on a motor yacht registered in Cyprus. The Principality of Monaco has requested assistance from the UK’s National Crime Agency and the Metropolitan Police, citing Kovalenko’s British business interests and the transnational nature of the suspect network.
Scotland Yard has deployed a specialist counter-terrorism team to liaise with Monaco’s Sûreté Publique, focusing on financial trails and maritime routes into southern France. The attack bears hallmarks of a targeted assassination attempt, though no group has claimed responsibility. Kovalenko is a prominent figure in Ukraine’s energy sector and has been publicly critical of Russian influence in Eastern European markets.
He holds residency status in Monaco, where he has maintained a secondary residence since 2018. His business empire includes holdings in London’s commercial property market, through a holding company registered in the City of London. Diplomatic sources in Paris say the French government has been alerted as part of the cross-border pursuit, and border checks have been intensified along the Franco-Italian coastline.
The incident underscores the vulnerability of high-net-worth individuals in Monaco’s compact geography, where state security resources are limited relative to the concentration of wealth. British authorities have not yet released detailed information about the nature of their involvement, but a senior official described it as “technical and analytical support to identify and disrupt the suspects’ escape routes”. The UK’s assistance follows a trend of enhanced bilateral cooperation on financial crime and kleptocracy cases, particularly those involving Russian-linked oligarchs.
For Monaco, the bombing represents a rare breach of its reputation as a safe haven. The last major attack on foreign nationals in the principality occurred in 2008, when a Russian businessman was shot outside the Monte Carlo Casino. Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Monaco has faced pressure to tighten its anti-money laundering regime and asset disclosures for residents deemed politically exposed.
Kovalenko’s treatment continues under heavy guard at the Princess Grace Hospital, where doctors have stabilised his condition. The hunt for the suspects now spans multiple jurisdictions, with Interpol issuing a Red Notice for the yacht’s crew. The investigation is expected to test the limits of Monégasque policing capability and the effectiveness of British forensic and intelligence cooperation in a non-EU microstate.
