Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has imposed sanctions on his former press secretary, Yuliia Mendel, accusing her and nine other individuals of spreading Russian propaganda and supporting Russia’s policies toward Ukraine.
The sanctions were announced in a presidential decree on Sunday and will remain in place for 10 years. They include asset freezes and restrictions on trade and other economic activities.
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Mendel served as Zelenskiy’s press secretary from 2019 to 2021, during the early years of his presidency. She later became increasingly critical of the Ukrainian government and has publicly questioned Zelenskiy’s handling of the war and efforts toward peace.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Mendel said she had expected the possibility of sanctions and argued that imposing such measures against Ukrainian citizens was unconstitutional. She also said the decision would not change her position.
The sanctions follow Mendel’s recent public appearances in which she criticised Zelenskiy and his administration. In May, she gave an interview to U.S. commentator Tucker Carlson in which she made a series of claims about Ukraine’s government, the war and the country’s political situation. Some of those claims have been disputed or challenged by Ukrainian media fact-checkers.
The Ukrainian presidency said the latest sanctions target individuals accused of spreading disinformation and Russian propaganda and supporting Russia’s aggressive policy toward Ukraine. The government has previously used sanctions against political figures and other individuals it considers a national-security concern.
The decision against Mendel is notable because she is a former member of Zelenskiy’s presidential team rather than a serving political opponent. Her sanctions also come as Kyiv continues to face intense pressure from the war with Russia and ongoing debates over possible peace negotiations.
Mendel has rejected the justification for the sanctions, while Ukrainian authorities have maintained that the measures are intended to protect national security. The accusations against her are political claims by the Ukrainian government and should not be treated as criminal convictions.
The development adds another layer to the political debate surrounding Zelenskiy’s government as Ukraine prepares for further diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict with Russia.