"Ukraine is on verge of disappearing", "my nation is in decline": Zelenskyy’s former press secretary Mendel served with notice of suspicion of treason
Prosecutors from the Prosecutor General’s Office, together with investigators from the Security Service of Ukraine’s Main Investigation Directorate, have gathered sufficient evidence to serve the former press secretary to the President of Ukraine with a notice of suspicion of treason for justifying Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine.
Censor.NET reports, citing the Prosecutor General’s Office.
According to investigators, she used her public profile and experience in government communications to spread narratives favourable to the aggressor state, aimed at discrediting Ukraine and weakening its international support.
The evidence underpinning the notice of suspicion includes her public statements in foreign media and on social media.
In particular, in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, she stated: "I believe Ukraine is on the verge of disappearing" and "You see, my nation is in decline".
She also claimed that Ukraine lacked democracy and freedom of speech. "There is no freedom of speech." "The country is full of bans. Everything is forbidden," she said in the interview, comparing the situation in the country to the Soviet Union.
On her Facebook page, the suspect circulated claims about alleged benefits from prolonging the war, political patronage, propaganda, and the persecution of dissenters.
These and other statements were actively used by Russian state and pro-Kremlin media in their propaganda materials.
Forensic examinations conducted as part of the investigation identified indications of destructive informational and psychological influence in the former press secretary’s statements.
The examinations found that her statements showed signs of undermining the foundations of national security in the information sphere. The experts also concluded that there were indications of destructive informational and psychological influence aimed at harming Ukraine’s state and information security.
According to the experts’ conclusions, this influence is exerted through the dissemination of narratives and messages favourable to the Russian Federation and helps advance the objectives of its subversive activities against Ukraine in the information sphere.
Investigators believe the dissemination of these materials was intended to portray Ukraine to international audiences as a state undeserving of further support and its leadership as an obstacle to peace.
Within Ukraine, meanwhile, such messages were aimed at deepening disillusionment and demoralising society.
The prosecution considers this activity to have constituted assistance to the aggressor state in conducting subversive activities against Ukraine.
The suspect is also accused of producing and disseminating materials justifying the Russian Federation’s armed aggression against Ukraine, which began in 2014, including on repeated occasions.
Her actions have been classified under Part 2 of Article 111 and Parts 2 and 3 of Article 436-2 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code. The notice of suspicion was served in absentia in accordance with Ukraine’s Criminal Procedure Code.
The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine’s Main Investigation Directorate.
Under Article 62 of Ukraine’s Constitution, a person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proved in accordance with the law and established by a court’s guilty verdict.
