Ukrainian intelligence officer retracts confession in Monaco-linked murder case

A Ukrainian military intelligence officer who previously confessed to killing a woman accused of involvement in an assassination attempt against a wealthy businessman in Monaco has now denied carrying out the murder, complicating a case that has drawn significant public attention in Ukraine.

Vladyslav Reut appeared in a Kyiv court on Thursday for a custody hearing, where he reversed earlier statements regarding the death of Anastasiia Berezovska. Reut had previously led investigators to Berezovska's grave in a wooded area and reportedly confessed to the killing.

However, during Thursday's hearing, Reut said he “categorically denied” murdering Berezovska and instead blamed the crime on an alleged accomplice, Vitalii Zhykovych.

The case has attracted particular scrutiny because both suspects have links to Ukraine's security services. Reut is an active and decorated officer in Ukraine's military intelligence agency, known as the GUR, while Zhykovych previously worked for the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

Authorities have not publicly clarified the circumstances behind Reut's change of account, and investigators continue to examine the roles of both men.

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The case is connected to an alleged assassination attempt targeting businessman Vadym Yermolayev and members of his family in Monaco last week.

Yermolayev, a multimillionaire who built his fortune in the cognac and real estate sectors, renounced his Ukrainian citizenship several years ago. He was later sanctioned by Kyiv over allegations that he continued conducting business in Crimea after the peninsula was taken over by Russia.

Questions also remain about the motives behind the Monaco attack and the subsequent death of Berezovska, who had been identified as a key suspect in the plot.

President Volodymyr Zelensky briefly addressed the matter on Thursday evening, saying he expected to share “additional relevant reports” in the coming days, suggesting authorities are continuing to investigate the case at a high level.

At the court hearings, both Reut and Zhykovych were brought before judges separately. The suspects appeared handcuffed and were escorted by heavily armed security personnel wearing balaclavas.

With conflicting accounts emerging and few official details released, the case remains one of the most closely watched criminal investigations in Ukraine, raising questions about the involvement of current and former security personnel in a plot that stretches from Kyiv to Monaco.

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