Vitalii Zhykovych, a former Ukrainian security services officer imprisoned in Kyiv, has provided his account of a bombing incident that occurred in Monaco during June that targeted businessman Vadym Yermolayev and his family. In an exclusive BBC interview conducted from prison and facilitated by his legal representation, Zhykovych characterized himself as a freelancer for Ukraine’s SBU security service and alleged that the operation was authorized by senior members of HUR, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency.
The attack resulted in severe injuries to Yermolayev, his 13-year-old son, and his partner. Surveillance footage captured the suspected bomber, Anastasia Berezovska, planting an explosive device on the family’s doorstep in Monaco. Berezovska’s body was subsequently discovered in woodland west of Kyiv with fatal gunshot wounds. Zhykovych and active-duty HUR officer Vladyslav Reut were both arrested and charged in connection with her death. While Reut initially confessed and led investigators to the grave, he later changed his testimony in court to implicate Zhykovych.
According to Zhykovych’s statements to the BBC, Reut proposed the Monaco operation and indicated it had been approved by his superiors within HUR. Zhykovych claimed that Reut communicated directly with Berezovska regarding the bombing and provided her with explosives. The two detainees have blamed each other for Berezovska’s killing. Zhykovych alleged that Reut told him the attack was retaliation for Yermolayev allegedly funding the annexation of Crimea through business interests in Russian-occupied territory, though Yermolayev has denied maintaining any business connections to Russia.
The case has generated significant speculation regarding the bombing’s origins, ranging from theories of state-ordered assassination to criminal involvement. Yermolayev has previously suggested connections to serving HUR officers and individuals close to the agency’s leadership. At a recent custody hearing, Zhykovych made additional statements suggesting the attack may have been ordered from outside official channels. Ukrainian military intelligence stated it remains committed to a full investigation and support for law enforcement bodies. Berezovska’s family has questioned the circumstances surrounding her involvement and death in the matter.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI