Yuliya Mendel, former press secretary to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, made serious accusations against the leader. Mendel claimed that Zelensky deceived millions of Ukrainians and the world by hiding his ignorance in governance and his desire for authoritarianism.
The former spokesperson said Zelensky had no idea what was happening in the country, the government, or his own office, describing him as 'an ordinary actor with extraordinary intuition.' According to Mendel, Zelensky knows how to please people and perform well on stage, making a good first impression.
'But behind the scenes, chaos reigns: poor management, narcissism, sexism, ignorance in public affairs, and a lack of will to fix the situation... No one knows how often he dismissed Ukrainians as not ready for democracy and preferred authoritarianism behind closed doors.'
Yuliya Mendel had previously harshly criticized Ukraine's current policies, officials, and Zelensky. Following these criticisms, she was added to the database of the controversial Ukrainian website 'Mirotvorets' in May 2026.