Monaco is in no hurry to cooperate with Ukraine on the assassination attempt against Yermolayev – media sources

Ukrainian law enforcement agencies investigating the criminal cases regarding the assassination attempt on businessman Vadym Yermolayev and his family in Monaco, as of 3 August had not received a response from foreign counterparts to proposals for cooperation. This was written by Ukrainska Pravda citing sources familiar with the course of the investigation. It was also indicated that they received no feedback regarding the killing of the suspect in the attempt, Anastasiia Berezovska.

According to the media, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko held a working online meeting with Monaco’s Prosecutor General Stéphane Thiebaut in 10 July, with the participation of the leadership of the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Police, and Monaco’s competent authorities.

At that time the Ukrainian side presented details of the pretrial investigation and initiated the creation of a joint investigative team (JIT) in this case, stressing the importance of doing so within a short timeframe for an effective investigation. Ukrainska Pravda’s interlocutors noted that following the meeting the parties agreed on the prompt exchange of information and available materials.

A week before the meeting and on the day it took place, the Office of the Prosecutor General sent two requests for international legal assistance to the competent authorities of the Principality of Monaco asking for materials of the criminal case, witness statements, expert reports, photo and video materials, information on persons involved in the crime, data about the explosive device, as well as information about mobile terminals and subscriber numbers that could have been used during the preparation and commission of the crime.

At the end of July Ukraine additionally announced its readiness to transfer to Monaco all available materials of the criminal case, including results of examinations, identifications, forensic-medical, molecular-genetic and ballistic expert reports, and other collected evidence. After that, the Office of the Prosecutor General received from the principality’s competent authorities an international legal request asking to provide specific materials from both criminal proceedings.

At the same time, responses to the Ukrainian requests for international legal assistance and a decision on the creation of a JIT had not been received by Ukraine, the publication reported.