Ukrainian Domestic — 2026-11-06

SBU Charges Former Zelensky's Press Secretary Iuliia Mendel With Treason Under Martial Law Over Public Statements

BLUFKyiv's escalation from sanctions to treason charges over foreign-media interviews sets a precedent that any public criticism of Ukraine's war conduct from abroad can trigger criminal prosecution under martial law.

The SBU and the Prosecutor General's Office served Iuliia Mendel, President Zelensky's press secretary from 2019 to 2021, with a notice of suspicion in absentia on November 3, citing treason under martial law (Article 111, part 2) and justification of Russian aggression (Article 436-2, parts 2 and 3) 123. The SBU said her public statements and social media posts discredit Ukraine internationally and justify the Kremlin and its full-scale war 3. LB.ua reported that the evidence includes her interview with Tucker Carlson, in which she said Ukraine is on the verge of disappearing, and that forensic examinations found signs of destructive information-psychological influence 2. Euromaidan Press reported that the charge carries 15 years or life imprisonment, that Mendel, who lives abroad, called the case the price of free speech, and that Zelensky sanctioned her in September 1.

Analysis
Kyiv has moved its dispute with Mendel from sanctions into criminal proceedings, treating foreign-media interviews and social posts as potential treason under martial law. We assess this with high confidence because the SBU's notice is reported consistently across all five outlets with no conflicting account. Those outlets all rest on the single SBU and Prosecutor General announcement, however, so the convergence reflects one official source, not independent verification. The notice was served in absentia, no court has tested the forensic findings, and her residence abroad leaves arrest or trial without a near-term path. The 15-year-to-life exposure signals to critics outside Ukraine that statements about Zelensky or the peace talks may bring prosecution. It also feeds her claim that Kyiv suppresses speech, which Russian state media already amplify. The charge may instead be mainly deterrence aimed at Western audiences and Ukrainian critics, with no expectation of trial.

5 sources