“The most dangerous man in power”: Zelensky’s former press secretary Yuliya Mendel admitted she is afraid of Yermak

Journalist Yulia Mendel, who served as Volodymyr Zelensky’s press secretary in 2019–2021, has stated that Andriy Yermak often misled the president and sabotaged his orders.

She said this in an interview with Radio Liberty.

According to Mendel, the head of the Presidential Office personally called her and many other officials and forbade them “to carry out the task that Volodymyr Oleksandrovych asked them to do.” In this way, a system formed in which people tried to please Yermak while also trying to fulfill Zelensky’s instructions.

Foreign journalists who wanted to interview Zelensky first had to get a comment from Yermak and publish a positive piece about him. Those who passed this filter then got access to the president. This unwritten rule existed until 2024.

Mendel also said that Yermak persecuted people with unfounded criminal cases and blocked the work of law enforcement agencies.

“Right now, as I’m saying this, I’m scared. I understand that no one will believe it now, but every day I pray to God and thank Him that I’m alive. Because Andriy Borysovych is a very dangerous person. Those who know him understand this,” Mendel said.

She explained that he has the power to arrange anything: from smear campaigns and accusations of being pro-Russian and of treason, to opening a criminal case thanks to his influence over law enforcement agencies.

She believes Yermak has retained influence over some politicians and law enforcement bodies:

“Andriy Borysovych has not completely abandoned attempts to influence today’s politics, because in recent years he was essentially the main HR department, and many people in power now are loyal to him — his friends, people who built their careers thanks to him. For example, the prime minister of Ukraine is entirely Andriy Borysovych’s person. Or ministers, or people who took part in the negotiations in the U.S. We still haven’t abolished ‘telephone law’. Andriy Borysovych will do everything he can to keep trying to influence politics further.”

At the same time, she did not remove responsibility from the officials themselves, even if they were intimidated by Yermak, and she did not dispute Zelensky’s earlier words that he and Yermak are “one whole.”

According to her, back in 2019, while in the United States, Yermak asked a political consultant “how he could become president,” meaning he has very big ambitions. And in 2022 he was assuring Zelensky that there would be no full-scale Russian invasion.

Mendel also recounted that during a trip to the front back in 2022, the first thing the soldiers asked her was why Zelensky would not fire Yermak.

“That question has been hanging in the air for many years,” she said.

Recall that Yermak was dismissed from the post of head of the Presidential Office on 28 November after NABU searches.

According to media reports, he did not believe in his dismissal until the very last moment and, when he heard the request to write a resignation letter, he launched into a “half-hour hysterical outburst at Zelensky with insults, reproaches and accusations.”