A sophisticated bombing in Monaco has left a Ukrainian oligarch critically wounded, triggering a cross-border manhunt and an offer of intelligence support from UK police. The attack, which occurred late last night in the harbour district of the principality, is being treated as a targeted assassination attempt. French and Monégasque authorities are coordinating investigations, but the suspect is believed to have fled to France or Italy. Scotland Yard has confirmed that it is sharing real-time data on known asset movements and suspicious financial flows, a move that signals the geopolitical dimensions of the case.
The victim, identified as Dmytro Kozlov, is a 52-year-old energy magnate with ties to Russian and European gas infrastructure. He remains in an induced coma after suffering shrapnel wounds to the chest and abdomen. The device, described as a remote-detonated explosive packed with ball bearings, was planted beneath a parked car near the Fairmont Monte Carlo. The blast sent a plume of smoke across the harbour, shattering windows in nearby yachts and causing panic among late-night diners.
No group has claimed responsibility, and authorities have not disclosed a motive. However, the incident echoes a pattern of attacks targeting Ukrainian businessmen abroad since the start of the full-scale invasion. Kozlov’s company, EastWest Energy, has been involved in gas transit negotiations between Ukraine and Hungary, and he has been openly critical of Russian energy policy. The bombing bears the hallmarks of a professional hit, using military-grade explosives not readily available on the black market.
The UK’s involvement is unusual but not unprecedented. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has seconded two officers to the investigation, focusing on financial trails and the suspect’s potential use of shell companies in London. The Met Police’s Counter Terrorism Command is also providing analytical support, leveraging its expertise in tracing the movements of oligarchs through property and banking networks.
Monaco, with its dense population and high-profile residents, has seen a spike in security concerns. The principality has no airport or direct rail links, making it a potential trap for the perpetrator if they remain within its borders. However, the suspect is thought to have escaped via the harbour, possibly on a private yacht or motorboat. French border police are checking all vessels leaving the Côte d'Azur, but the region’s hundreds of marinas make a thorough search impractical.
The attack raises questions about the safety of wealthy Ukrainians across Europe. In recent months, there have been reports of intimidation and poisonings, but nothing on this scale. The use of explosives in Monaco, a jurisdiction with zero tolerance for violence, suggests a level of bravado or desperation. For investigators, the key is the detonator: its frequency signature and the type of receiver could point to a military or intelligence supplier.
As the manhunt expands, the local population is on edge. The casino and yacht club have increased private security, and the police have set up roadblocks on the four-lane highway leading into France. The suspect, described as a male in his 40s with a shaved head and a Mediterranean tan, may have already shed his disguise. Without a decisive lead, the window for capture is narrow.
This is a developing story. We will continue to report as more information becomes available.