On 13 September, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy enacted a decision by the National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) on targeted sanctions, which included his former press secretary, Yulia Mendel. According to the Office of the President, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) initiated the restrictions as part of a list of ten Russian and Ukrainian citizens whom the authorities link to the dissemination of disinformation and Russian propaganda, as well as support for the Russian Federation’s aggressive policy.
Briefly about the main points
- The National Security and Defence Council’s sanctions decision included ten citizens of Russia and Ukraine.
- The SBU initiated the restrictions against Yulia Mendel.
- Ukraine plans to approach its partners regarding the coordination of sanctions.
- The President’s Office has denied Mendel’s claims regarding the 2022 negotiations.
- On 13 September, Zelenskyy signed three decrees concerning sanctions decisions by the National Security and Defence Council.
The restrictions were initiated by the SBU
Yulia Mendel as set out in a separate sanctions decision covering ten Russian and Ukrainian nationals. In Presidential Office stated that the individuals on this list are linked to disinformation, Russian propaganda and support for Russia’s aggressive policies.
The Ukrainian side plans to share this information with its international partners so that they may consider harmonising restrictions in other jurisdictions. This does not mean that foreign sanctions in relation to Mendel have already been introduced.
Mendel’s statements had previously been criticised by the President’s Office and the Foreign Ministry
Mendel was the President’s press secretary from 2019 to 2021. Her dismissal Volodymyr Zelenskyy She formalised this by decree on 9 July 2021; she subsequently continued her public activities as a journalist and author.
In May 2026, in an interview with an American presenter Tucker Carlson Mendel claimed that Ukraine was allegedly prepared to hand over part of the Donbas to Russia during negotiations in 2022. The President’s Office denied this, emphasising that she had not taken part in the negotiations and had not been involved in the decision-making process.
In August, the Foreign Ministry called on journalists to take a critical view of its statements. A spokesperson for the ministry Georgy Tikhiy described Mendel’s statements as manipulation and disinformation which, in the ministry’s view, do not reflect the situation in Ukraine and run counter to its national interests.
On that day, Zelenskyy brought two further sets of sanctions into force
On 13 September, the President signed three decrees bringing various decisions of the National Security and Defence Council into force. One set of measures concerned 20 vessels belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet, which are used to export oil, petroleum products and liquefied gas.
Another decision imposed restrictions on 29 Russian nationals and 29 Russian companies. They are, in particular, linked to the supply of components and equipment to the Russian defence industry and to enterprises within the Rostec Corporation. These measures are separate from the decision in which Mendel was included.
