The New York Republican who fled Soviet Ukraine warns against Mamdani’s socialism

Exclusive – Brooklyn, NY: The New York Republican Councilor Inna Vernikov revealed that the popularity of the socialist candidate for the mayor Zohran Mamdani is motivated by her supporters who fall for the “pipe dream” that socialism and communism have to offer.

Vernikov, who was born in Soviet Ukraine, told Fox News Digital that she remembers standing in lines of milk and bread with her grandfather, adding that Mamdani’s policies are an “experience that has been done before”.

“When you look at the Soviet Union, that’s exactly what they did,” said Vernikov. “They promised the people, everything, and in the end, who became rich? Only the government. And I think that is what is happening here.”

When asked what was behind Mamdani’s popularity that arrows him at the top of the national conversation when he won the Democratic primary for the largest city in the United States, Vernikov suggested that many of his voters are motivated by “guilt”.

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Fox News Digital spoke to the member of the New York Council Inna Vernikov of the popularity of Zohran Mamdani. (Fox News Digital / Getty)

“This is my opinion, it is that we live in a culture of shame that started during the riots of George Floyd, when people who were white and who were rich were shameful to be white and rich and now we see who voted for Mamdani,” said Vernikov. “It is not the black community, it is not the Hispanic community, not the brunette community, it is really not even the Jewish community, right? It is, really, the white and the privileged who voted for Mamdani and I think they were ashamed to vote for him, and it is a kind of low price for them to pay to be socially accepted.”

Vernikov explained that another part of the equation is that many young Mamdani voters who have never known communism and socialism and have “grown privileged” were deceived by thinking “this pipe dream could actually be a reality”.

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Zohran Mamdani speaks to supporters at an electoral night meeting at Craft Lic’s big ones on June 24, 2025. (Getty Images / Michael M. Santiago)

“In reality, these things can never happen,” said Vernikov. “What could happen is chaos. What could happen is the lines of bread, what could happen is that we see the police flee, and it will no longer be the city of New York as we know it. It will not be our country, and we cannot be proud of what it is about to become.”

Vernikov acknowledged that part of Mamdani’s rise can be attributed to his “extremely charismatic” and “charming” being, which has led to an “effective” campaign and that Republicans could learn from some of his campaign strategies.

“I think that the promises he makes combined with guilt, with shame, combined with him being extremely charismatic and charming, he has a very, very effective campaign,” said Vernikov.

However, in the end, Vernikov said that his platform was filled with tireless promises and that he is “absolutely” a communist.

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Zohran Mamdani attended New York pride on June 29, 2025. (Noam Galai / Getty images)

“”His ideas, he could say that he is socialist, but I don’t really trace the line, “said Vernikov.” I think these are the same concepts, the same ideas in terms of economy, in terms of these policies. I think it is very, very dangerous and it is contrary to the idea of capitalism and the cornerstone of our democracy. “”

Fox News Digital contacted the Mamdani campaign to comment.