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2026.7.2 With 556 police officers patrolling a country half the size of Central Park, everyone thought Monaco was safe
Monaco’s reputation as one of the safest countries on earth was shattered just before 9 p.m. local time on Monday night when a bomb exploded in the entrance of one of the city state’s fanciest apartment buildings.
The bomb went off as Ukrainian-born oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev, 58, a resident of the building, stepped out onto the street. He was seriously injured. A woman and a 13-year-old child were also seriously hurt in the first bomb assassination attempt ever recorded on Monaco’s highly-surveilled streets.
Prince Albert II, Monaco’s head of state since 2005 and the son of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace (Kelly), described the bombing as “an odious act” as he mobilized Monaco’s police officers and security services to hunt for the attacker, and ordered a step-up in already very regular police street patrols to reassure the country’s wealthy residents.
The police have launched an investigation into “attempted premeditated murder and placing an explosive device in a public area.”
Christophe Mirmand, Monaco’s minister of state, said it was “the first time in history that such an act has taken place in the principality,” and noted that CCTV showed the suspect “had walked around the area several times while waiting for the victims.”
The tiny tax-free city state surrounded by France on three sides and the Mediterranean on the other, prides itself on its high level of safety and security.
There were no homicides, or even attempted murders, last year, according to the principality’s police department. By comparison, in the US there were more than 20,000 homicides – an average of 55-a-day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
There were also no armed robberies. However, a record number of overall offenses were registered: 1,055. That is still less than three per day on average, and 38% of them were classed as minor offenses including unintentional injuries, defamation, vandalism, petty theft and fraud.
Crime is low in Monaco because it is one of the most heavily policed places on earth. There are 556 police officers in the principality, which spans just 485 acres, making it the second-smallest independent state in the world after Vatican City and just over half the size of New York’s Central Park (843 acres).
With a population of 38,857, that means there is one police officer for every 70 residents, according to the Monegasque Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.
In the US, there is roughly one police officer for every 400 people, but it varies widely depending on state and city. In Washington DC – the most heavily policed place – there is one police officer for every 185 people. In the UK it is one per 425 people.
In addition to the police force, there are 125 elite military officers from the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (The Prince’s Company of Carabinieri) dedicated to guarding the prince and his family.
Monaco also has a network of 1,387 CCTV and facial recognition cameras monitored 24 hours a day at an “operational command and supervision center.” Random on-the-spot identity checks are regularly carried out, with more than 134,000 taking place last year.
The government is in the process of spending millions increasing security along its northern border with France. There are no physical barriers between Monaco and the neighboring French town of Beausoleil, and it is possible to walk between the two without realizing you have done so.
The suspect in the bombing of the cream colored 1920s Sun’s Palace apartment building on Rue Révérend-Père-Louis-Frolla, was captured on CCTV walking up the street – and into France. The suspect remains at-large despite a manhunt involving both Monegasque and French police.
The Monegasque government lists “a unique level of public safety” as a key reason why so many wealthy people and celebrities have chosen to move to Monaco. Famous faces who have made their homes there include Formula One drivers Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Max Verstappen; tennis players Novak Djokovic and Björn Borg, as well as The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and singer Shirley Bassey.
Nick Edmiston, the founder and chairman of superyacht builder Edmiston & Co, who has lived in Monaco since 1989, said feeling safe and secure was what made the country special.
“You can walk around wearing expensive jewelry and feel safe,” he said. “Many wealthy people are used to always being surrounded by bodyguards but that’s not necessary in Monaco.”
About 35 in every 100 Monaco residents are millionaires, according to research by estate agent Knight Frank.
As well as security, they have also been attracted by the country’s tax structures. There are no taxes on income, wealth, property or capital gains. Companies incorporated in Monaco are also exempt from taxes if most of their business is based in the principality. The only tax that does apply in the principality is VAT (sales tax) which is charged at 20% on most items.
In order to apply for residency, applicants must open a Monaco bank account and deposit at least €500,000 (£440,000).
The government is fielding so many applications from people wishing to move to Monaco, that it spent 2 billion euros ($2.28 billion USD) reclaiming 15 acres of land from the sea upon, which 120 apartments are being marketed for sale at more than $100,000 per sq meter. That’s more expensive than luxury apartment complexes like 15 Central Park West in Manhattan or One Hyde Park in London.
A cool $1 million in Monaco will buy just 16 square meter (172 square feet) of prime residential property, less than a third of the space it would buy in Paris, according to the Knight Frank report.
2026.7.2 Monaco bombing suspect identified as arrest warrant and Interpol Red Notice issued
Monaco’s judicial authorities have identified the man suspected of carrying out the parcel bomb attack that injured three people in the Principality on 29th June, issuing an arrest warrant and requesting an Interpol Red Notice as the investigation enters a new phase.
In a communiqué issued late on Thursday, the Prosecutor General’s Office announced that a formal judicial investigation has been opened following what it described as the rapid identification of the suspect through the combined efforts of Monaco’s judicial police and international law enforcement partners.
“The quality of the work carried out by the judicial police division of the Direction de la Sûreté Publique, whose responsiveness, combined with effective international criminal cooperation, both police and judicial, made it possible to identify the person suspected of being the perpetrator in a particularly short time,” the communiqué said.
The case has now been placed before three investigating judges, marking a significant procedural step in the criminal investigation. The judicial inquiry has been opened on charges of attempted murder and complicity, depositing an explosive device on the public highway with criminal intent and complicity, and criminal conspiracy.
The appointment of three investigating judges gives the inquiry access to broader investigative powers, including the authority to oversee international judicial cooperation. Within this framework, an arrest warrant has been issued for the suspect, while an Interpol Red Notice was due to be activated on Thursday evening.
The announcement represents the most significant breakthrough since the explosion outside a residential building on Rue du Révérend Père Louis Frolla shortly before 9pm on 29th June.
The attack injured Ukrainian businessman Vadym Iermolaiev, his 13-year-old son and his partner. Prosecutor General Stéphane Thibault said on Wednesday that one of the two adults remained in a life-threatening condition, while the other victims’ injuries were no longer considered life-threatening.
Judicial authorities are expected to provide further details during a press conference at 11.30am on Friday 3rd July in the Supreme Court chamber of Monaco’s Palais de Justice, where investigators are due to present the latest developments in what has become one of the most significant criminal investigations in the Principality’s recent history.
2026.7.1 Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene briefed by security forces after Monaco’s first ever bomb attack
2026.6.30 Prince Albert II condemns “criminal explosion” after Monaco blast
Prince Albert II has condemned the Monaco explosion that injured three people, praising the emergency response and reaffirming the Principality’s commitment to public safety as the investigation continues.
Prince Albert II has condemned the “criminal explosion” that injured three people in Monaco on Monday evening, pledging that the Principality will remain “united and determined in the face of violence and crime”.
The blast happened shortly before 9pm in a residential building near Place des Moulins.
Three people were injured, two of them seriously, while a suspect who allegedly left an explosive device at the scene remains on the run.
The Prince, who was in Germany for the inauguration of Monaco’s themed area at Europa-Park, cut short his trip and returned to the Principality overnight.
In a statement, he described the incident as “a shock for the entire Monegasque community” and expressed his and Princess Charlène’s support for the victims, their families and nearby residents.
He also praised the emergency services and police for their swift response, saying he had full confidence in the Monegasque and French authorities working together to identify those responsible.
“The Principality of Monaco will remain united and determined in the face of violence and crime,” the Prince said, adding that the safety of the community “has always been, and will remain, a top priority.”
Investigators are continuing their search for the suspect as the inquiry into the motive behind the attack continues.
Read Prince Albert II’s full statement in full below :
“The criminal explosion that occurred this evening in Monaco is a shock to the entire Monégasque community.
My thoughts go first to the victims, their loved ones, and the local residents directly affected by this heinous act. Princess Charlène, my family, and I wish to express to them our compassion and our unwavering support.
We also want to commend the remarkable work of the public security forces, who are managing the situation with rigour and composure, and who have enabled a rapid response in caring for the victims and securing the area.
Under the authority of the Government, all relevant State services are currently mobilised, in close cooperation with the French authorities. We trust them to clarify the circumstances of this tragedy as swiftly as possible, to identify those responsible, and to provide every appropriate response, at all levels.
More than ever, the Principality of Monaco will remain united and resolute in the face of violence and crime. The security of our community has always been a priority; it will remain so more than ever, whatever the threats.”
-Albert II, Prince of Monaco
2026.6.29 Blast in Monaco injures three people as police hunt suspected bomber after ‘terror attack’
A suspect is said to be at large after being seen on CCTV dumping a backpack on Rue du Révérend Père Louis Frolla, near the French border.
The blast, which has been described as an ‘attack’, occurred at around 9pm. Two of the three people injured are said to be critically hurt. Police said the victims are Ukrainian.
Monaco’s Minister of State has said that the explosion is “likely a terrorist attack”.
Christophe Mirmand told AFP that the explosive device “likely contained bolts and pellets”.
The victims have been evacuated to hospitals in Nice.
Prince Albert of Monaco said in a statement: “The criminal explosion that occurred tonight in Monaco is a shock for the entire Monegasque community.”
He added: “We also want to salute the remarkable work of the public safety forces, who manage the situation with rigour and serenity, and have allowed rapid support of victims and securing the premises.”
“Under the authority of the Government, all the state services concerned are currently mobilised, in close cooperation with the French authorities. We trust them to elucidate the circumstances of this tragedy as soon as possible, identify those responsible and provide him with all the necessary answers, at all levels.
“More than ever, the Principality of Monaco will remain united and determined in the face of the violence and crime.
“The security of our community has always been a priority; it will remain more than ever, whatever the threats.”
He went on: “This is the first time in history, to my knowledge, that such an act has occurred in the Principality.
“It has been confirmed that law enforcement has now mobilised on both the Monegasque and French sides of the border.
Eric Ciotti, Mayor of Nice, wrote on X: “The attack carried out this evening is a tragedy that strikes Monaco.
“Thoughts for the victims, their families, and the people of Monaco.
“Total support for the security forces and emergency services mobilised.”
The blast took place at a residential building, and a “red plan” has reportedly been initiated in Monaco as a result of the attack.
A red plan refers to a “pre-established action strategy for a sudden event resulting in, or likely to result in, numerous casualties” the Principality of Monaco’s website states.
It “allows for a gradual increase in resources depending on the number of victims”.
An update from the Government said: “This evening, shortly before 9 p.m., a violent explosion caused by a bomb was heard in the Principality, not far from Place des Moulins.
“The area was quickly cordoned off by law enforcement. Three people were injured: two adults and a child, who were taken to hospitals in Nice.
“Two people were treated for shock, and two others with minor injuries went to Princess Grace Hospital (CHPG) on their own.
“A suspect was spotted by CCTV fleeing towards the town of Beausoleil in France.
“Access to the Principality was immediately secured. The Attorney General was notified, and a judicial investigation was opened. Forensic evidence was collected late into the evening.
“Fifty firefighters were mobilized (40 Monegasque and 10 French) with 12 vehicles, and 84 police officers were deployed.
“The six unoccupied apartments in the targeted building were secured.”
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