As the Monaco police opens an attempted murder investigation into the blast that targeted one of Ukraine’s richest men, Vadym Yermolaiev, it has emerged that the woman who lost both her feet in the blast was his mistress. Earlier, there were reports that the injured woman was Anna Yermolaieva, the oligarch’s wife. However, she broke her silence on Tuesday, stating she was unhurt.
The injured woman has been identified as Anna Nasobina, 46, who had both her legs blown off in an explosion at a residential building in Monaco. She is currently in hospital battling for her life, along with Yarmolaiev, who is in a critical condition. The couple’s 13-year-old son was also injured in the attack, according to The Daily Mail.
Anatoly Shariy, a Ukrainian political blogger, said: 'During the explosion with Ermolaev, it was not his wife. 'It was this woman who lost her legs and is on the brink of life and death.' Nasobina has been with Yermolaiev for a long time, and some reports say they have wed. But he still remains married to Anna Yarmolaieva.
According to a Daily Mail report, Nasobina is from Dnipro in Ukraine, and studied law at Dnipropetrovsk National University, followed by an International Institute of Management. She has been based in London for a long time and is the director of UK company Wycombe Square Investments LLP since 2023. She currently uses the spelling 'Hanna' for her first name. She is the daughter of the former first deputy state prosecutor of Dnipropetrovsk region.
Wife breaks silence
Earlier, Anna Yermolaieva, revealed to Ukrainian media that she was not at the scene of the explosion in Monaco and hence was not injured. "We are currently in a state of severe stress and are actively cooperating with the investigation and law enforcement agencies," said the businessman's wife.
The bomb hidden inside a backpack exploded at the luxury apartment building entrance in Monaco. It reportedly wounded a Ukrainian tycoon with ties to Russia and two other people. CCTV footage showed a man dropping the backpack at the entrance before fleeing on foot.
Prosecutor Stephane Thibault said the motive was unclear, but reports suggest that it could be connected to an alleged call centre scam. “It looks like something very, very personal. There are security cameras on every street corner in Monaco. That’s why rich people feel safe there. The hit doesn’t seem to be the work of a top professional,” The Guardian quoted unnamed sources.
Interestingly,Yermolaiev, who currently resides in Monaco, is currently under Ukrainian sanctions after deciding to continue his alcohol trading activities in Crimea, a territory under Russian occupation.
Though suspicions were raised that Ukrainian special services could be involved in the attack, several sources dismissed the idea, according to The Guardian. “He’s an opportunist, not an open enemy,” one remarked. Another described him as someone with “no ideology” and “zero political views” who could not “by definition be a Russian asset”.
“He isn’t a political person,” somebody who knew him socially said. “He’s a businessman. Vadym is nicer than 95% of people on that level … He’s always smiling and pleasant to be around, a typical Dnipro Jew. He likes life, tells endless jokes and speaks in a rather stumbling manner.”
