Iuliia Mendel: Age, Husband, Education, Career and Life Story

Introduction

Iuliia Mendel is a Ukrainian journalist, writer, and former presidential press secretary. She became widely known after joining President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration in 2019.

Her career started long before politics. She worked in television, wrote for international publications, and built experience in public communications.

Then came a major change.

She entered the Ukrainian president’s office during a busy political period. Two years later, she left government service and returned to writing.

Her story also includes a published memoir, marriage to Ukrainian economist Pavlo Kukhta, and public disagreements with her former employer.

Here is what reliable sources tell us about her life and career.

Quick Facts About Iuliia Mendel

Detail	Information
Full Name	Iuliia Volodymyrivna Mendel
Other Names	Yuliia Mendel, Yulia Mendel
Date of Birth	September 3, 1986
Age	40 years old (as of November 2026)
Birthplace	Henichesk, Kherson Oblast, Ukraine
Nationality	Ukrainian
Profession	Journalist, Author, Former Press Secretary
Education	Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
Academic Qualification	Candidate of Philological Sciences
Husband	Pavlo Kukhta
Marriage Date	June 4, 2022
Known For	Serving as Zelenskyy’s Press Secretary
Presidential Service	June 3, 2019 – July 9, 2021
Famous Book	The Fight of Our Lives

Who Is Iuliia Mendel?

Iuliia Mendel is a Ukrainian journalist who became a familiar name in national politics.

She served as press secretary to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy between June 2019 and July 2021.

Before taking that role, she had already worked with several well-known news organisations.

Her writing appeared in publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico Europe, and VICE.

She also worked in television journalism.

That experience helped her enter government communications. Her job involved answering media questions and explaining the president’s activities.

After leaving the position, she continued writing about Ukraine, international relations, and the war.

Early Life and Childhood

Mendel was born on September 3, 1986.

Her birthplace was Henichesk, a town in Ukraine’s Kherson region.

She grew up during a period of major change. Ukraine became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991, when she was still a child.

Her early years preceded the career that would later bring her into national politics.

She eventually moved to Kyiv for higher education.

Much of her childhood remains private. Reliable public records provide limited information about her parents and other family members.

Still, her birthplace and education are well documented.

Education and University Life

Education was an important part of her early career.

She studied at the Institute of Philology at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

Her studies included English, Polish, Ukrainian language, and literature.

She completed her university education in June 2008.

But she continued studying.

In 2012, she defended an academic dissertation examining the poetry of Ukrainian writer Volodymyr Zatulyviter.

She received the Candidate of Philological Sciences qualification.

This Ukrainian academic degree is broadly comparable to a research doctorate.

Her education gave her a strong background in language, writing, and literary research.

Those skills would later support her work in journalism and public communication.

How Her Journalism Career Started

Mendel worked in journalism before entering politics.

Her early professional experience included Ukrainian television and print media.

She worked with ICTV and Espreso TV, gaining experience in reporting and editing.

Over time, she began contributing to international publications.

Her work appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico Europe, and VICE.

She covered political and social issues connected to Ukraine.

Her career also included communications work with the World Bank.

This was a different challenge.

The position involved explaining institutional activities and communicating with different audiences.

She gained international experience through the World Press Institute fellowship programme in 2015.

Her journalism background later became a major part of her application for a government communications position.

Becoming Zelenskyy’s Press Secretary

A major career change arrived in 2019.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy had recently become Ukraine’s president.

His administration needed a new press secretary.

The presidential office organised a competitive recruitment process.

Nearly 4,000 people applied for the position, according to the official presidential announcement.

Mendel was selected.

On June 3, 2019, Zelenskyy formally appointed her through presidential decree No. 350/2019.

The appointment placed her at the centre of presidential communications.

Her responsibilities included handling press inquiries, working with journalists, and communicating information about the administration.

She also helped manage communication involving foreign media.

It was a demanding job.

Ukraine was dealing with major political and security questions, while international attention on its new president continued to grow.

Her previous reporting experience gave her direct knowledge of how newsrooms worked.

Now she was dealing with journalists from the government side.

Her Work Inside the Presidential Office

Mendel served during the early years of Zelenskyy’s presidency.

Her work included explaining presidential decisions and helping the administration communicate with Ukrainian and international news organisations.

She participated in press-related activities involving government policy and international affairs.

The role also brought criticism.

In September 2019, several journalists accused her of physically obstructing them while they attempted to question the president.

Mendel disputed the criticism and defended her actions as an attempt to manage access and protect personal space.

The disagreement received attention in Ukrainian media.

It showed the tension that can develop between government communications teams and independent journalists.

Her time in office continued until 2021.

Why Did Iuliia Mendel Leave Zelenskyy’s Team?

Mendel left her position in July 2021.

Her formal dismissal was recorded in presidential decree No. 282/2021, dated July 9, 2021.

She had served for just over two years.

Serhii Nykyforov became her successor.

Reports about her planned departure had appeared earlier that year.

Some reports discussed the possibility of continued advisory communications work.

The official dismissal decree, however, did not give a detailed explanation for her departure.

After leaving the position, she returned to journalism and writing.

Her experience inside the presidential administration became the subject of her later published work.

Iuliia Mendel’s Book and Writing Career

Writing remained part of her professional life.

In 2022, she published The Fight of Our Lives: My Time with Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s Battle for Democracy, and What It Means for the World.

The memoir discusses her experiences working with the Ukrainian president.

It also covers political developments, public communications, and the challenges facing Ukraine.

The book appeared after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Mendel used her first-hand experience to discuss events from her time in government.

Her account gives readers one former official’s perspective.

It is important to remember that a memoir reflects the author’s personal experiences and interpretations.

The book attracted reviews from established publications, including The Washington Post.

She also published a Ukrainian-language book, Кожен із нас президент, in 2021.

Her writing career continued through articles about diplomacy, security, and international politics.

Iuliia Mendel Husband and Marriage

Mendel married Ukrainian economist Pavlo Kukhta in June 2022.

Their marriage was publicly reported on June 4, 2022.

Kukhta previously held senior positions in Ukraine’s economic administration, including serving as first deputy economy minister.

The couple chose a simple marriage registration.

They did not organise a large wedding celebration at the time.

Ukraine was facing Russia’s full-scale invasion, which had begun only months earlier.

The marriage received coverage in Ukrainian newspapers and entertainment publications.

Both were already known through their professional work.

Mendel has generally kept many other personal matters outside her public career.

Her Life After Leaving Government

Leaving government did not end her public career.

Mendel continued publishing commentary about Ukraine and international affairs.

Her articles appeared in outlets including the Kyiv Post.

She discussed the war, Ukraine’s relations with Western countries, and international diplomacy.

Her published commentary included articles about NATO, European security, and the use of artificial intelligence in political communication.

She also became increasingly critical of Zelenskyy and his administration.

This was a visible change from her earlier role as his official spokesperson.

Her criticism attracted attention because she had previously worked closely with the president.

Political Controversies and 2026 Updates

Mendel remained in the news during 2026.

In May, she appeared in an interview with American commentator Tucker Carlson.

She made several serious allegations about Zelenskyy and members of his administration.

Ukrainian news organisations questioned aspects of those claims, reporting that supporting evidence had not been provided for several accusations.

The allegations should not be treated as established facts.

A major development followed in September.

On September 13, 2026, Ukraine imposed ten-year sanctions on Mendel and nine other individuals.

The Ukrainian government accused those targeted of spreading Russian propaganda or disinformation and supporting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

The measures included asset freezes and trade restrictions.

Mendel rejected the sanctions.

She argued publicly that imposing such sanctions on Ukrainian citizens was unconstitutional and accused the president of targeting critics who wanted peace.

These were competing positions.

The Ukrainian government’s accusations and Mendel’s response were reported by Reuters and other news organisations.

The dispute became another important chapter in her public career.

Career Timeline

Year	Career Event
1986	Born in Henichesk, Ukraine
2008	Completed university studies in Kyiv
2012	Defended her philology dissertation
2015	Participated in the World Press Institute fellowship
2019	Appointed Zelenskyy’s press secretary
2021	Left presidential office
2021	Published a Ukrainian-language book
2022	Married Pavlo Kukhta
2022	Published The Fight of Our Lives
2023–2025	Continued political commentary and journalism
May 2026	Appeared in an interview with Tucker Carlson
September 2026	Became subject to Ukrainian sanctions

What Makes Her Career Notable?

Her career covers two different professional positions.

First, she worked as a journalist.

She reported on public affairs and contributed to international news publications.

Then she joined the president’s communications team.

Instead of questioning government officials, she was answering questions on behalf of the administration.

Later, she returned to journalism and became a public critic of the same president she once represented.

That change has drawn considerable attention.

Her published memoir also offers a first-person account of her time inside Ukraine’s presidential office.

These events explain why her name appears in discussions about Ukrainian journalism and politics.

Final Thought

Iuliia Mendel’s career has taken several turns.

She started in journalism, earned an advanced academic qualification, and eventually became the spokesperson for Ukraine’s president.

Her work later moved back toward writing and political commentary.

By 2026, her public disagreements with the Ukrainian administration had become a major part of her story.

Her professional record is documented through official appointments, published journalism, books, and news coverage.

The most reliable way to understand her career is to separate those confirmed events from disputed political claims.

Her story continues to attract attention.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Iuliia Mendel?

Iuliia Mendel is a Ukrainian journalist, author, and former press secretary to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

2. How old is Iuliia Mendel?

She is 40 years old as of November 2026. She was born on September 3, 1986.

3. Where was Iuliia Mendel born?

She was born in Henichesk, Kherson Oblast, Ukraine.

4. Who is Iuliia Mendel’s husband?

Her husband is Pavlo Kukhta, a Ukrainian economist and former senior government official. They married in June 2022.

5. Where did she study?

She studied at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and earned a Candidate of Philological Sciences qualification.

6. When did she work for Zelenskyy?

She served as his press secretary from June 3, 2019, until July 9, 2021.

7. What book did Iuliia Mendel write?

She wrote The Fight of Our Lives, an English-language memoir published in 2022 about her experience working with Zelenskyy and developments in Ukraine.

8. What happened to Iuliia Mendel in 2026?

She gave a controversial political interview in May. In September, Ukraine imposed ten-year sanctions on her, which she publicly challenged.