Kyiv Intelligence Link in Murder of Woman Accused of Bombing Ukrainian Oligarch

Ukrainian investigators are looking into whether two men with ties to the country’s security services were involved in the killing of a woman accused of trying to assassinate a sanctioned Ukrainian oligarch in Monaco. The case has drawn major attention because of the suspects’ connections to Ukraine’s intelligence community.

Authorities have charged two men with premeditated murder after the body of 39-year-old Anastasiia Berezovska, the main suspect in the Monaco bombing case, was found buried in woods west of Kyiv. One of the suspects currently serves in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, but officials say they have not determined that the killing was ordered or carried out on behalf of any intelligence organization, according to the Sun US.

The investigation is still underway, and prosecutors say several possible explanations are being explored.

Why Are Ukrainian Intelligence Agencies Being Mentioned?

The case is under intense scrutiny mainly because both suspects have past or present roles in Ukraine’s security services. One suspect, Vladyslav Reut, is an active and decorated officer in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, known as the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR). The second suspect, Vitalii Zhykovych, previously worked for Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) before leaving the agency.

Their backgrounds have raised questions about whether the killing might somehow be linked to intelligence operations. However, investigators have not said publicly that either agency was involved, nor have they claimed the murder was officially sanctioned.

President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged public interest in the case on Thursday, saying he expected to receive “additional relevant reports” in the coming days, but he did not provide further details.

What Investigators Know So Far

Prosecutors say Berezovska returned to Ukraine two days after the June bombing near Monaco, before authorities publicly named her as the main suspect. She is believed to have entered Ukraine by bus from Poland.

Investigators say they quickly identified Reut and Zhykovych by examining Berezovska’s phone records and allegedly found both cash and cryptocurrency transfers from the two men to her accounts. Authorities later discovered Berezovska’s body in a shallow grave west of Kyiv, after Reut allegedly led them to the burial site. Prosecutors say the two suspects acted “jointly and in a coordinated fashion” and have charged both with premeditated murder.

Why Has the Investigation Taken an Unexpected Turn?

The case became more complicated during a custody hearing in Kyiv, when Reut suddenly changed his earlier version of events. According to prosecutors, Reut had first confessed to shooting Berezovska and had personally guided investigators to her grave.

But during Thursday’s hearing, he withdrew that confession. “I categorically deny” committing the murder, Reut told the court, insisting that it was Zhykovych who carried out the fatal shooting. Reut argued that he had spent his career fighting for Ukraine. “I fought enemy combatants while defending my country. I would never intentionally murder an innocent civilian woman,” he said.

He claimed that Zhykovych told him to drive Berezovska to a wooded area, supposedly to hide her because of “a criminal matter.” According to this revised account, Zhykovych then produced a modified Makarov pistol and ordered Reut to shoot Berezovska. Reut says he refused. Instead, he claims, Zhykovych fired four shots himself, and afterward the two men buried the body.

Why Did Reut Say He Initially Confessed?

Reut told the court he took the blame at first because he feared for his family’s safety. “He said, ‘If anything happens to me, your relatives are in danger,'” Reut claimed, referring to Zhykovych. Zhykovych’s lawyer flatly rejected that account. Defense attorney Anatoliy Ivanov argued that his client, a former low-ranking SBU officer, would not have had the power to order an active GUR intelligence officer to carry out a murder. “He does not want to be imprisoned. I understand,” Ivanov said of Reut’s testimony. Ivanov also insisted that his client “did not kill.”

What Evidence Exists?

So far, investigators have publicly pointed to several pieces of evidence in the case:

• Phone records that allegedly link the suspects to Berezovska.
• Financial transfers, both cash and cryptocurrency, were allegedly sent to her accounts.
• The discovery of Berezovska’s body in a shallow grave, after investigators were reportedly led to the site.
• Statements given by both suspects.

However, prosecutors have not revealed any forensic evidence tying either man directly to the shooting, and no murder weapon has been publicly recovered. Reut claims that Zhykovych got rid of the pistol and Berezovska’s belongings by throwing them into a nearby lake. Authorities have not said whether they have found those items.

What Remains Unconfirmed?

Despite the suspects’ intelligence backgrounds, investigators have not concluded that Ukraine’s intelligence services played any institutional role in Berezovska’s death. The motive also remains unclear. Several possible explanations have surfaced publicly, including organized crime, corruption, and even potential involvement by foreign intelligence.

During Thursday’s hearing, Zhykovych’s lawyer suggested there could be a “Russian trail,” noting that Moscow has previously recruited Ukrainian intelligence personnel. But he admitted he had no evidence to back up that claim. Prosecutor Dmytro Tkachuk said investigators are keeping every option on the table. “All versions are being considered,” Tkachuk told the BBC.

He added that one suspect had shared information about a possible motive but said he could not reveal details, arguing that doing so might jeopardize the investigation. “We are checking the information,” he said.

Why Was Berezovska Wanted?

Berezovska was accused of trying to assassinate businessman Vadym Yermolayev, whose fortune comes from cognac production and real estate. Yermolayev, who previously renounced his Ukrainian citizenship, has been sanctioned by Kyiv for allegedly continuing to do business in Crimea after Russia annexed the peninsula. Authorities have not clearly said whether Berezovska’s killing is directly connected to the Monaco bombing investigation.