Ukraine names Iuliia Mendel, Zelensky’s former press secretary, as a treason suspect

Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office said Iuliia Mendel, a former press secretary to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is suspected of treason and justifying Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine.

Investigators allege that Mendel used her public profile and professional experience to spread narratives that benefited Russia and sought to discredit Ukraine.

The allegations are based in part on Mendel’s public statements on social media and in foreign media, including an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson. Russian propaganda made extensive use of her statements, the Prosecutor General’s Office said.

Mendel worked with Zelensky from 2019 to 2021. In a May 2026 interview with Carlson, she sharply criticized the Ukrainian president.