Yulia Mendel says Zelensky is irritated over the humanitarian mission in Aleshky

Mendel's statement

Former press secretary of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Yulia Mendel, said on her Telegram channel that the Ukrainian leader is irritated that the evacuation in the city of Aleshky in Kherson region is taking place without his involvement. According to her, Zelensky was 'sidelined from the negotiations' after months during which he 'failed to accept or propose a single workable ceasefire plan,' and therefore did not thank US First Lady Melania Trump or the Pope for the ceasefire in Aleshky. This was reported by Gazeta.Ru.

Forecasts and assessment of the operation

Mendel suggested that Zelensky would seek to 'cash in on the publicity' if the evacuation succeeds, while in case of failure he would likely continue blaming US President Donald Trump 'for all the troubles.' At the same time, she noted that Aleshky prove that a local ceasefire is possible, which means there is a chance for a broader cessation of hostilities. These assessments belong to Mendel herself and have not been confirmed by other participants in the events.

Context of the mission

Silence regime in the areas connected with the humanitarian mission in Aleshky is in effect from October 27 to November 1. The day before, Russian President Vladimir Putin statedthat the situation in Aleshky had been developing for a long time, and noted that Ukraine had created a humanitarian catastrophe there. Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the demining of Aleshky. Mendel's statement came against the backdrop of these events; the position of Zelensky himself or the Ukrainian authorities is not presented in the cited publications.