A woman wanted across Europe over a parcel bomb attack in Monaco has now become the centre of a murder investigation herself. Her death has added another layer of mystery to a case that was already stretching across several countries.
What began as an international search for a woman accused of carrying out a parcel bomb attack in Monaco has taken a dramatic turn after Ukrainian authorities announced that the suspect was found dead before investigators could question her.
Anastasiia Berezovska, a 39-year-old Ukrainian woman wanted in connection with an explosion that injured a sanctioned Ukrainian millionaire and members of his family, was discovered with gunshot wounds to the head in Ukraine, according to the country’s Security Service (SBU).
The discovery has shifted the focus of the investigation. Instead of tracking a fugitive across Europe, investigators are now trying to determine who killed her and whether her death was linked to the bombing that triggered the international manhunt.
The SBU said Berezovska returned to Ukraine on 1 July, just two days after the attack in Monaco. During her time back in the country, investigators say she remained in contact with family members as well as two men, one a former law enforcement officer and the other an active officer serving in Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence intelligence directorate.
Authorities believe those relationships may be significant.
According to the SBU, both men had “repeatedly transferred funds” into Berezovska’s cryptocurrency wallets and bank accounts, prompting investigators to examine whether they had played a supporting role in the Monaco bombing.
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The investigation then took another unexpected turn.
The intelligence officer later confessed to Berezovska’s killing, telling investigators he carried out the murder together with another suspect, the SBU said.
“During the search of the former law enforcement officer’s home, a basement room resembling a torture chamber was found,” the agency said in its statement.
“Both suspects were detained on suspicion of committing murder with premeditation by a group of individuals.”
Both men are now in custody while Ukrainian authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Berezovska’s death. Officials have not publicly discussed a possible motive, and many details remain unclear.
The case first drew international attention after an explosion tore through the entrance of an apartment building in Monaco on 29 June.
Three people were injured when a package exploded shortly after 9:00 p.m. local time (19:00 GMT) as they entered the building. Two of the victims suffered serious injuries.
Monaco’s Deputy Prosecutor Morgan Raymond said investigators believe Berezovska had spent several days watching the residence before the attack. He also revealed that she allegedly disguised herself as a man while planting the explosive device, an effort investigators believe was intended to avoid detection.
Following the bombing, authorities alleged that Berezovska escaped Monaco in a rented vehicle before travelling through Italy and into Germany.
German police later deployed special forces to search an apartment in the central state of Hesse that a 39-year-old Ukrainian woman had rented, believed to be on the run. The search formed part of a wider European effort to locate her before news of her death emerged.
The international response intensified when Interpol issued a Red Notice on Friday, alerting police agencies worldwide that Berezovska was wanted on allegations including attempted murder, placing an explosive device on a public road with criminal intent and criminal conspiracy.
Those efforts have now effectively ended, but investigators are left with even more questions than when the search began.
Authorities in both Monaco and Ukraine continue to piece together how the bombing was planned, whether others were involved, and whether Berezovska’s death was intended to silence a key suspect before she could provide evidence.
For now, investigators are working across multiple jurisdictions, with the bombing and the suspected murder now deeply intertwined. While arrests have been made, officials say the investigation remains active, and many of the circumstances surrounding both crimes have yet to be fully explained.
