Ukrainian spy accused of killing Monaco bombing suspect retracts confession

A Ukrainian court ⁠has remanded in custody two men accused of killing a woman suspected of carrying out a bomb attack in Monaco that seriously wounded a Ukrainian oligarch sanctioned by Kyiv, Ukraine's top prosecutor said.

The body of ‌Anastasiia Berezovska, a 39-year-old Ukrainian citizen ⁠wanted by Interpol for the June 29 bomb attack, was found with ‌gunshot wounds to the head and pistol cartridges nearby, ⁠Ukrainian authorities said on Tuesday.

The authorities said a serving officer in Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) and a former law enforcement officer had ‌been detained on suspicion of killing Berezovska.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Prosecutor General's Office said the court ‌in Kyiv had ordered the two suspects to be held in detention without bail.

Ukrainian media, citing court proceedings, reported that the HUR employee had retracted his confession, saying the other defendant had fired the shots and that he had confessed out of fear for his life.

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said earlier this week investigators had focused on the two men after discovering they had repeatedly transferred cryptocurrency and money through bank accounts to Berezovska.

Investigators said they found Berezovska's body during a reconstruction of the crime based on one suspect's testimony.

Authorities said the basement of the former law enforcement officer's home appeared to be used as a torture chamber.

Ukrainian-born property developer Vadym Yermolaiev, his partner and son were wounded in Monday's bomb attack, sources said.

Yermolaiev, who took Cypriot nationality seven years ago, was placed under sanctions by Ukraine in 2023 for his alleged business dealings in Russian-annexed Crimea.

Berezovska was wanted by ⁠authorities in Monaco on charges of attempted murder, placing an explosive ⁠device in a public place with criminal intent, and criminal conspiracy.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AP)