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Martin Fornusek

Reporter

Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

m.fornusek@kyivindependent.com
For media & speaking inquiries:
press@kyivindependent.com

Articles

U.S. President Donald Trump in New York, U.S., on June 9, 2026.
Politics

Trump-aligned movement fractures as wars in Ukraine, Iran expose ideological divide

by Jimmy Rushton, Martin Fornusek
A widening split inside the online pro-Trump political ecosystem is exposing a growing ideological fracture over U.S. foreign policy, particularly America's war against Iran and Russia's all-out assault on Ukraine. What some analysts and participants describe as a "MAGA civil war" has emerged as a visible rupture within the American conservative movement, dividing former allies of U.S. President Donald Trump who have turned sharply critical of his foreign policy positions from those who remain
Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, on May 21, 2026.
Russia

Russia's recruitment system nears breaking point, forcing debate over forced mobilization

by Martin Fornusek
As Russian battlefield gains slow and recruitment drive falters, Ukraine is warning that the Kremlin may finally reach for the measure it has long resisted — a forced mobilization. According to Kyiv, Moscow is preparing to call up tens of thousands of fresh soldiers to offset its climbing battlefield losses. But analysts believe Russia would only take that gamble in case of an imminent front-line collapse, or a sweeping pivot to a war economy — one that could signal preparations to push the co
Politics

History haunting Ukraine-Poland relations, again

by Martin Fornusek
History is rattling Ukraine-Poland relations, yet again. The new round of historical grievances erupted in Poland when President Volodymyr Zelensky named a Ukrainian special forces unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) — an organization that fought for Ukrainian independence during and after World War II, but which evokes painful memories in Poland. In Ukraine, the UPA represents a historical struggle against Moscow's domination — a legacy that feels especially alive amid Russia's full

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