Zelensky sanctions former press aide Iuliia Mendel over pro-Russian statements
President Volodymyr Zelensky placed sanctions on ex-press secretary Iuliia Mendel, citing her repeated promotion of Russian propaganda.
President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed a set of sanctions on his former press secretary Iuliia Mendel on September 13, after she repeatedly echoed Russian propaganda that attacks his leadership. The punitive package strips Mendel of her state awards, freezes her financial holdings and bars her from transferring capital out of Ukraine, and is accompanied by similar restrictions on several other persons. In a post on X, Mendel denounced the sanctions as unconstitutional and claimed they are used against anyone promoting peace in Ukraine.
She also asserted that authorities were preparing high-treason charges following her interview with Tucker Carlson, a claim she said she had anticipated. Mendel has previously labeled Zelensky a "dictator" and the main obstacle to peace. The move reflects the administration's tightening response to dissent that aligns with Russian narratives.
Why it matters
The sanctions signal Ukraine's crackdown on officials who amplify Russian propaganda, affecting internal political dynamics.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTBoth camps report Zelensky's sanctions on Mendel, but left-leaning coverage emphasizes her repeated echoing of Russian propaganda and her claim the sanctions target peace promoters, while right-leaning coverage stresses the alleged nature of the propaganda, the ten-year scope of the sanctions and compares the decree to earlier actions.
LEFT
Zelensky is portrayed as taking decisive action against a former aide who repeatedly spread Russian propaganda and attacks his leadership.
RIGHT
The sanctions are presented as a response to alleged propaganda and support for Russia, framed as a standard security measure comparable to past sanctions.
The left emphasises
- repeatedly echoed Russian propaganda that attacks his leadership
- sanctions strip Mendel of state awards, freeze her financial holdings and bar capital transfers
- Mendel denounced the sanctions as unconstitutional and said they target anyone promoting peace
The right emphasises
- purportedly disseminating Russian propaganda and backing Russia's hostile stance toward Ukraine
- sanctions last ten years and include freezing assets and limiting trade activities
- the decree mirrors earlier actions such as the 2025 sanctions on ex-president Petro Poroshenko
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