A man was reportedly captured on security cameras leaving a bag at the entrance of a residential building before fleeing towards the French border. Two adults remain in critical condition, while a 13-year-old boy is stable. Investigators have not yet established the motive
Three people have been injured, two of them critically, after a powerful explosion struck the entrance of a residential building in Monaco on Monday evening, in what authorities have described as a deliberate act and “very probably an attack”.
The explosion occurred shortly before 9pm in Rue Révérend-Père-Louis-Frolla, a street close to Monaco’s border with the neighbouring French town of Beausoleil. The blast was heard across several surrounding streets and prompted a large emergency response involving police officers, firefighters and medical teams.
Monaco’s Minister of State, Christophe Mirmand, said the available evidence indicated that the explosion was not accidental.
“It was very probably an attack,” Mirmand said, while stressing that the investigation was still in its early stages and that no motive had yet been established.
The three injured people are believed to be members of the same family. Two adults, described as a couple aged between approximately 50 and 60, suffered extremely serious injuries and remain in a life-threatening condition. A 13-year-old boy was also injured but was reported to be in a stable condition.
French media, including Le Figaro, reported that the family is Ukrainian. Some reports have suggested that one of the injured adults may be a wealthy Ukrainian businessman, but the identity of the victims has not been officially confirmed by Monaco’s judicial authorities.
A BAG LEFT AT THE BUILDING ENTRANCE
Monaco prosecutor Stéphane Thibault said investigators were examining surveillance footage showing a suspect leaving a bag or package inside or immediately outside the entrance hall of the residential building.
The individual then allegedly walked away from the scene in the direction of Beausoleil, crossing towards the French side of the border shortly before the explosion.
Police have launched a search for the suspect and are working with French authorities because of the proximity of the building to the international boundary. Monaco is a small and densely populated principality, and the border with France can be crossed on foot through ordinary streets without formal checkpoints.
Investigators are analysing security-camera recordings from the surrounding area in an attempt to reconstruct the suspect’s movements before and after the device was placed.
The authorities have not disclosed whether the suspect acted alone, whether the victims were specifically targeted or whether the building itself had been selected for another reason.
Thibault said no clear evidence had emerged to explain why that particular residential property may have been attacked.
DEVICE REPORTEDLY CONTAINED METAL PROJECTILES
According to Mirmand, the explosive device appeared to contain bolts and shotgun pellets, materials that can become dangerous projectiles when propelled by a blast.
The presence of metal fragments has strengthened the authorities’ view that the explosion was intended to injure people rather than merely cause damage to the building.
Forensic teams were examining the remains of the device, the entrance hall and debris scattered across the street. The investigation will seek to determine the type of explosive used, how it was triggered and whether the materials can be linked to a known source.
The area surrounding the building was cordoned off while bomb-disposal specialists and investigators searched for evidence and checked that no secondary device had been left nearby.
Residents were temporarily prevented from returning to parts of the building as structural inspections were carried out.
The full extent of the damage has not yet been disclosed, but images from the area showed emergency vehicles surrounding the property and debris near the entrance.
NO TERRORIST MOTIVE ESTABLISHED
Although senior officials have referred to the explosion as an attack, authorities have not classified it as terrorism.
At this stage, investigators are considering different possibilities, including a targeted criminal attack, a personal dispute or an act connected to the background or business activities of one of the victims.
No organisation has claimed responsibility, and there has been no official indication that the incident was politically, religiously or ideologically motivated.
The distinction is important. A deliberate explosion may constitute an attempted murder or another serious criminal offence without meeting the legal definition of terrorism.
The investigation is therefore focused first on identifying the person seen leaving the package, establishing the identity of the victims and determining whether there was a specific connection between them and the attacker.
Reports concerning the Ukrainian nationality and professional background of the adults remain media claims pending formal confirmation. Police have not publicly named the injured family members.
AN UNPRECEDENTED INCIDENT FOR MONACO
Mirmand described the incident as unprecedented in Monaco’s recent history.
“To my knowledge, this is the first time that an act of this kind has occurred in the Principality,” he said.
Monaco has one of the highest concentrations of police officers and surveillance cameras per resident in Europe. Its compact territory and extensive security system are generally considered to make serious violent incidents comparatively rare.
The principality is home to approximately 40,000 residents and attracts large numbers of visitors, wealthy foreign nationals and international business figures. Its residential districts extend directly to the French border, particularly around Beausoleil.
The explosion has therefore raised immediate security concerns beyond Monaco itself. French police are assisting with the search because the suspect may have crossed into France within minutes of leaving the device.
Authorities in nearby Nice also expressed solidarity with the victims and the people of Monaco. Local officials described the explosion as a serious and disturbing event for the wider Côte d’Azur region.
THE CONDITION OF THE VICTIMS
Emergency medical teams treated the injured at the scene before transferring them to hospital.
The two adults sustained extensive blast injuries and were reported to be in extremely serious condition. The 13-year-old boy was also hurt but was not believed to be in immediate danger.
Authorities have not released further medical details, and the family has not issued a public statement.
Investigators are expected to speak with the boy and any other witnesses when their condition allows. Residents of the building and people who were in the street at the time are also being interviewed.
The timing of the explosion will be closely examined. The suspect was reportedly seen leaving the package as people approached or entered the building, raising the possibility that the device was triggered remotely or set to detonate at a specific moment.
Forensic analysis will be required before police can determine whether the victims were followed, whether the attacker knew their movements or whether their arrival at the entrance was coincidental.
CROSS-BORDER INVESTIGATION UNDER WAY
The search operation is being coordinated between Monaco and France.
Beausoleil surrounds much of Monaco’s northern and western boundary, and a person can move between the two territories simply by walking along connected streets. This makes cooperation with French police essential.
Investigators are collecting footage from private buildings, businesses, public cameras and road networks on both sides of the border. They are also checking vehicles, telephone data and possible travel routes away from the area.
No arrest had been announced at the time of publication.
Police have appealed for calm while the investigation continues. Authorities have not indicated that there is an ongoing threat to the general public, but security has been increased around the affected neighbourhood and other sensitive locations.
The incident has left Monaco confronting a type of violence rarely experienced within the principality. The immediate priority remains the condition of the injured family, while the central questions for investigators are who placed the explosive device, why the residential building was selected and whether the attack was directed at one or more specific individuals.
