A former Ukrainian presidential insider has accused a top government official of relying on corpses, dark rituals, and occult ceremonies to maintain political power, igniting a bizarre propaganda war that blurs folklore, disinformation, and wartime desperation.
The Insider Who Opened Pandora’s Box
Yulia Mendel served as President Volodymyr Zelensky’s press secretary, positioning her within Ukraine’s innermost power circle during pivotal years. Her recent public statements paint Andriy Yermak, the former head of the Presidential Office, as someone who collected water from cemeteries, consulted witches across continents, and possessed a mysterious chest containing dolls used in rituals.
Mendel claims she first heard whispers in 2019 when a journalist questioned Yermak about cemetery visits. By 2020, a minister allegedly confided that Yermak was “into magic.” In 2023, a source from an unspecified “important service” mentioned the infamous chest. These allegations surfaced publicly on January 31, 2026, through Russian outlets and social media.
He was de facto co-president of Ukraine: "Former press secretary of President Volodymyr Zelensky Yulia Mendel stated that former head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak is engaged in magic, and not just any kind, but with trips to the cemetery and "dead water".
She wrote… pic.twitter.com/m9wb8eGg7V
— Ivan Katchanovski (@I_Katchanovski) January 31, 2026
From Power Broker to Occult Scapegoat
Yermak rose rapidly within Zelensky’s administration, becoming a central figure in negotiations and governance, effectively operating as a shadow president. His involvement in the 2019 Trump-Zelensky phone call drew international scrutiny during impeachment proceedings, though that scandal centered on political pressure, not supernatural practices.
Yermak’s power made him enemies, and corruption investigations eventually forced his resignation. The witchcraft accusations emerged precisely when his political fortunes collapsed, transforming him from dealmaker to convenient villain. Russian propaganda outlets seized on Mendel’s claims, suggesting Yermak’s rituals explained Ukraine’s wartime persistence and alleged persecution of the Orthodox Church, positioning the regime as demonic rather than democratic.
The Propaganda Machinery at Work
RT and other Moscow-controlled media outlets amplified Mendel’s allegations with enthusiasm, framing them as insider revelations rather than external smears. The narrative draws disturbing parallels to Nazi occult obsessions, suggesting Ukraine’s leadership relies on shamanism and ritual sacrifices to sustain military efforts. Russian commentators like Marina Akhmedova interpreted the claims not as folklore but as evidence of an elite obsession explaining Ukraine’s refusal to surrender.
Pro-Russian social media accounts, including academic Ivan Katchanovski, spread the story without critical analysis. The timing proves suspicious: Mendel’s transformation from loyal press secretary to regime critic coincides perfectly with Russia’s information warfare needs during a grinding conflict.
Iuliia Mendel, 39, a former press secretary of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (2019-2021), wrote on her Facebook today that Andrey Yermak, a former presidential chief of staff dismissed in November, has a passion to black magic, invites magicians from around the globe,… pic.twitter.com/GDDD5RGEti
— Viktor Kovalenko (@MrKovalenko) January 31, 2026
Where Folklore Meets Disinformation
Ukraine possesses rich folklore traditions involving witchcraft, immortalized in works by Nikolai Gogol, but these claims leap from cultural memory into active political accusation. The allegations specify exotic sources for Yermak’s supposed rituals, including Latin American, Israeli, and Georgian witches, adding international intrigue to local superstition.
This differs sharply from previous “witch hunt” metaphors used during Trump’s impeachment or Ukrainian anti-corruption campaigns, where the phrase described political persecution, not literal occultism. The specificity of Mendel’s claims, which mention burned herbs and corpse water, suggests either elaborate fabrication or the exploitation of genuine eccentricities.
Sources:
Former Ukrainian Official Denounces Regime Reliance on Witchcraft – The Gateway Pundit
Keep Your Head Down Smart: How an Anti-Corruption Witch Hunt Buried Ukraine’s Hopes – Texty