Berezovska murder case: Media have revealed new facts about suspects from DIU and, presumably, SSU

The Berezovska murder – ’Schemes’ has revealed new facts about those involved

Investigative journalists have uncovered new details in the case of the murder of Anastasia Berezovska, who is suspected of plotting to assassinate the sanctioned businessman Vadym Yermolaev and his family in Monaco. These include, in particular, an employee of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence (according to the official investigation) and, presumably, an employee of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU).

This has been reported by the ‘Schemes’ project (Radio Liberty), as reported by Censor.NET.

What has been established

It is noted that Anastasia Berezovska is a 39-year-old native of Zhytomyr. It is not known exactly what the woman did for a living, but the advertisements she posted on the OLX marketplace in 2021 may indicate that she was likely earning a living by breeding dogs.

In 2021, she was even charged with an administrative offence for a drunken brawl and petty hooliganism.

Following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Berezovska left for Germany. Telephone databases list her under the alias "Anastasia Frankfurt", and she was active in local refugee chat groups in Frankfurt am Main.

Who is under suspicion: a dossier on law enforcement officers

The official investigation by the Office of the Prosecutor General has named a current employee of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence as the first suspect. Earlier, the name of Yevhen Reut had appeared in the press; however, "Schemes", drawing on its sources, clarified that the charges were in fact brought against his brother — 33-year-old Vladyslav Reut.

Vladyslav is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at the Kyiv National Economic University; he is listed in telephone directories as "Vlad Lawyers" and previously represented parties in civil courts. However, from 2022, Reut is believed to have served at military unit A2772 — a training centre for the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — from where he may subsequently have transferred to Military Intelligence.

Journalists are not currently publishing the identity of the second detainee pending an official announcement by the investigation. However, "Schemes" has established that he is a 49-year-old native of Uman who worked as a police officer in the Kyiv region until 2020.

Among the tags associated with his mobile number, next to his name, there is a reference to "OPV UKR", which may indicate that he previously worked in the Police Criminal Investigation Department. Other digital tags, such as "Kontr VB" (counter-intelligence or Internal Security), as well as his combat history within the ranks of the "Right Sector" and information from "Schemes" sources, suggest that the man may be a current or former employee of the Security Service of Ukraine.

What led up to this?

On the evening of 29 June, a powerful explosion occurred in Monaco near a residential building on the border with France, injuring three members of a Ukrainian family. According to media reports, the victims were the sanctioned Ukrainian businessman Yermolaev and his relatives.
The media reported that, as a result of her injuries, the woman had both legs amputated.
CCTV footage shows the suspect in the terrorist attack throwing a rucksack in front of the building’s entrance. He is currently wanted by the authorities. It is now believed that he managed to flee to France.
Monaco’s Prime Minister, Christophe Mirmand, stated that this was a premeditated attack and a terrorist act. The explosive device, he said, may have contained bolts and metal parts.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that three members of a family of Ukrainian origin were injured in the explosion in Monaco, two of whom are in a critical condition. Ukrainian diplomats from the embassy in France are at the scene.
Monaco’s Attorney General, Stéphane Thibault, stated that the explosion, which injured members of a family of Ukrainian origin, has been classified as attempted murder.
The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has opened criminal proceedings into the completed contract killing of three members of the Ukrainian family of businessman Vadym Yermolaev in Monaco.
It later emerged that the body of Ukrainian citizen Anastasia Berezovska, a suspect in the attempted murder of Yermolayev, had been found near Kyiv.
Law enforcement officers have detained a member of the Main Intelligence Directorate and a former military officer on suspicion of the woman’s murder. They have been informed of the charges against them.