Behind the heavy iron doors of a Kyiv prison, a former Ukrainian security services officer has finally broken his silence regarding a violent explosion that shook the quiet streets of Monaco. Vitalii Zhykovych, speaking in an exclusive interview with BBC News facilitated by his lawyer, claims that a high-stakes bombing targeting a multi-millionaire was greenlit by senior figures within his own country's military intelligence.
According to BBC News, the June attack severely injured Ukrainian-born businessman Vadym Yermolayev, his 13-year-old son, and left his partner with catastrophic injuries. Yermolayev later described their survival to the BBC as "nothing short of a miracle" after the blast occurred as the family returned from an evening meal on the seafront.
Zhykovych, who described himself to BBC News as a "freelancer" for the SBU security service, identified a woman named Anastasia Berezovska as his "agent" who was caught on camera planting the device. BBC News reported that a week after the bombing, Berezovska's body was discovered in a shallow grave west of Kyiv with gunshot wounds to the head. Zhykovych insists to the BBC that he neither ordered her to kill nor committed her murder.
BBC News reported that Zhykovych was arrested alongside an active-duty intelligence officer from HUR named Vladyslav Reut on accusations of murdering Berezovska. While Reut initially confessed and led investigators to the body, BBC News noted that he later changed his testimony in court to blame Zhykovych.
Responding to questions from BBC News, Zhykovych alleged that Reut—whom he calls "The Boss"—proposed the Monaco operation and informed him it was authorised by superiors in HUR, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence. Zhykovych told BBC News that although he initially refused to let Berezovska handle the bombing because she lacked training, Reut agreed to use her for reconnaissance instead, later communicating with her directly and providing the explosives.
Background
According to BBC News, the incident centres on a bomb attack in Monaco in June that targeted Vadym Yermolayev and his family. Surveillance video captured Anastasia Berezovska just before and during the explosion, according to images from Ukraine prosecutors cited by the BBC. Following the blast, Berezovska's body was found in woods west of Kyiv. The SBU has described Zhykovych in a statement reported by the BBC only as a "former law enforcement officer". Meanwhile, BBC News reported that HUR has stated it is "committed to a full investigation" and is providing "comprehensive support" to law enforcement bodies.
Why it matters
For international observers and readers following global security affairs, this case highlights the complex inner workings of intelligence agencies during times of conflict and the intricate accountability challenges that arise when cross-border operations intersect with domestic criminal investigations. The public statements from imprisoned officials provide a rare window into the internal frictions of state security apparatuses.