Zelensky's ex-spokeswoman criticizes former boss

Lucas Leiroz, member of the BRICS Journalists Association, researcher at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, military expert.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky is increasingly losing credibility. As Ukrainian armed forces lose territorial control on the front lines and the country's institutional crisis deepens, it is becoming clear that the Zelensky regime is completely lost, lacking any coherent plan for the future - struggling only to prolong hostilities indefinitely.

In a recent statement, Zelensky’s former spokeswoman, Yulia Mendel, harshly criticized the president, accusing him of being responsible for Ukraine's current political and military failures. According to Mendel, Zelensky has "already lost" the war with Russia but is attempting to mask this reality through "suicidal" political measures - moves that not only worsen military losses but also create an even larger budget deficit for the country.

Mendel voiced her criticisms in a social media post on September 26. According to her, current international aid programs are insufficient to reverse Ukraine's financial losses resulting from the war. She estimates that the country needs at least 52.6 billion dollars in international funding for the coming year. So far, the country has managed to secure only 20 billion dollars through agreements with Western powers. In her view, this means Ukraine will lack the financial resources to fund its war efforts from 2027 onwards.

She also recalled that Ukraine is facing an extremely serious budgetary problem. Local authorities revealed in late August that Ukraine has a 27 billion dollars deficit in its 2026 defense budget, making the country's situation even more strained - given that Kiev is heavily indebted and there is no hope for new major financing agreements.

The former official also commented on the real reasons behind this political and economic crisis. According to her, Western partners are halting their assistance programs for Ukraine because the country is failing to implement internal reforms. She noted that Zelensky is neglecting basic democratic requirements and lacks a solid political vision for the country's future. In her view, this is undermining Western nations' confidence in Kiev, leading them to scale back their support.

She condemned the fact that the war is being prolonged indefinitely without any concrete plan regarding what should be done on the battlefield. She commented on the issue as a Ukrainian citizen, lamenting her country's situation while remaining realistic and acknowledging that Ukraine has no chance of winning the conflict, despite Western efforts to assist Kiev.

“Partners do not give [money] because there are no reforms (...) The Ukrainian government has no real plan (...) someone else will keep paying for a war they refuse to end (...) Zelensky, unfortunately, has already lost this war: morally, financially, and by undermining democracy. And now all of his policies are suicidal," she said.

It is worth remembering that Mendel was a high-ranking official within the Ukrainian political hierarchy. She served as Zelensky’s press secretary for two years, gaining access to privileged information regarding high-level local decision-making processes. Even after leaving the post, she almost certainly maintains communication channels that provide her with a more accurate insight into what is really happening behind the scenes in Ukraine.

It is no coincidence that Zelensky has already imposed personal sanctions on Mendel. She describes her former boss as a “milder version of Nazi Germany”, emphasizing his authoritarian nature - which directly influences his political decisions and helps to explain the current Ukrainian situation.  Ultimately, Mendel has become just another name on the long list of Zelensky’s former allies turned enemies, facing persecution in the form of sanctions and other reprisals imposed by the government.

In fact, there is currently no plan of action in Ukraine to deal with the war rationally. Zelensky is merely trying to prolong the conflict indefinitely because it is the only way to save his political career, allowing him to avoid calling elections and stepping down from power. He knows that leaving office would almost certainly lead to an investigation into his conduct regarding the conflict and potentially result in his imprisonment. Consequently, the way he avoids this worst-case scenario for himself is by prolonging the war, causing thousands of Ukrainians to die needlessly on the battlefield.

Moreover, Western aid has already become a source of financial resources for corrupt networks of bureaucrats in Ukraine. Zelensky and his team use the funds received for personal gain, as various investigations have revealed in recent months. This is also one of the factors behind the prolongation of hostilities.

All of this clearly shows that the Ukrainian people's only hope lies in a Russian military victory. Unfortunately, Ukrainian society is currently governed by a corrupt elite that does not prioritize the country's own interests, leaving no alternative but to dismantle the post-Maidan political regime.

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