Monaco has long been a favoured home of celebrities, aristocrats and the ultra-rich, with its tax haven status, sun-soaked Mediterranean location and crime-free reputation.Situated on the idyllic French Riviera, the glamorous principality is known for its superyachts, luxurious holiday homes and the iconic Monte Carlo Casino – beloved, most famously, of James Bond.But the seeming safety and picture perfection of this sovereign city state was called into serious question this week after a suspected assassination attempt on a Ukrainian oligarch took place right in the centre of town.The Daily Mail revealed earlier this week that Vadim Ermolaev, 58, was with his lover Anna Nasobina, 46, and their 13-year-old son when the attack happened at around 9pm on Monday.Ms Nasobina is said to have had both her legs blown off in the explosion in the entrance to their luxury apartment building and is now fighting for her life in intensive care in hospital.The prime suspect, who left both Ms Nasobina's long-time boyfriend and son seriously injured too, is Anastasiia Berezovska, 39, from Ukraine, who is believed to be 'armed and dangerous'.Theories have abounded as to why the billionaire was targeted – from Ukrainian secret service involvement, to retribution for involvement in an alleged call centre fraud scheme, to 'a settling of scores' by gangsters.But one thing is for certain: it has cracked open a murky world of corruption, draft-dodging and white-collar crime stretching all the way down the Cote d'Azur – and is centred on a list of super-rich Ukrainian locals known to security services in Kyiv as the 'Monaco Battalion'. Monaco has long been a favoured home of celebrities, aristocrats and the ultra-rich, with its tax haven status, sun-soaked Mediterranean location and crime-free reputation But the seeming safety and picture perfection of this sovereign city state was called into serious question this week after a suspected assassination attempt on a Ukrainian oligarch took place right in the centre of town. Pictured: Broken windows in the building where the explosion took place This week's events have cracked open a murky world of corruption, draft-dodging and white-collar crime stretching all the way down the Cote d'Azur (pictured)First, though: the attack.It was a quiet summer evening in Monaco when Ermolaev, his lover and son were 'returning home peacefully' to the Sun's Palace apartment block on Rue Révérend Père Louis Frolla.The Ukrainian tycoon is understood to own all but one of the six flats in the entire four-floor 1920s building – which was, at the time of the blast, otherwise completely empty.It is also believed the £4million Belle Epoque property was the kept residence of his mistress.A source based in Monte Carlo said: 'The principality is full of love nests, and this was a classic one.'They are usually very hard for other people to locate – those doing the renting will fill out leases using third parties, so that their own names aren't associated with the property.'Initial reports suggested the woman with Ermolaev at the time of the explosion had been his wife, Anna, 56, a dentist and charity worker, and the mother of his other four children.But this newspaper disclosed it was in fact Ukraine-born but London-based Ms Nasobina – and the Ermolaev family home, meanwhile, is in nearby Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.Security and police sources said cameras first picked up the suspect, who was seen 'circling the building' on foot in the area on Monday morning, before she returned to place the bomb.As the attacker placed the backpack full of nuts and bolts in the building, the family are said to have been entering a nearby car park.The suspect is thought to have sat on a bench 'around 12 metres away' as she waited for her targets, before detonating the device, using her mobile, at 8.58pm.One insider said: 'They were clearly an expert in handling explosives – possibly ex-military or police.'The three victims are said to have been dressed in summer clothes, looking relaxed and not particularly cautious.Sources have told the Daily Mail there was 'bafflement at the openness and arrogance' with which the bomber acted – and that the attack has all the hallmarks of a 'coordinated operation'.'This suggests a highly sophisticated attack – one that was likely to have involved days and even weeks of planning,' according to one insider.'The block being empty meant the attacker had a clear run to place the explosives, to watch the intended victims, and then to trigger an explosion as soon as they were near the rucksack. Vadim Ermolaev (pictured), 58, was with his lover Anna Nasobina, 46, and their 13-year-old son when the attack happened at around 9pm on Monday Ms Nasobina (pictured) is said to have had both her legs blown off in the explosion in the entrance to their luxury apartment building and is now fighting for her life in intensive care in hospital The prime suspect, who left both Ermolaev and his son seriously injured too, is Anastasiia Berezovska (pictured), 39, from Ukraine who is believed to be 'armed and dangerous' Theories have abounded as to why the billionaire was targeted – from Ukrainian secret service involvement, to retribution for involvement in an alleged call centre fraud scheme, to 'a settling of scores' by gangsters. Pictured: His apartment building, where the attacker struck Monegasque and French police launched a days-long manhunt for the suspect, who was seen on CCTV (pictured), wearing a black bucket hat, fleeing the scene to nearby French town Beausoleil Now, Berezovska (pictured) has emerged as the prime suspect, with Interpol naming and picturing her, as well as sharing a Red Notice on its website seeking her arrest The international law enforcement agency released two photos of the suspect on Friday. Pictured: Interpol's Red Notice seeking Berezovska's arrest