Russia releases ailing ex-US Marine after 4 years in prison
Robert Gilman's health has seriously deteriorated in recent weeks, prompting U.S. officials to appeal to Moscow for his release.
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Martin Fornusek
ReporterMartin 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.
Articles
Hungarian parliament elects new president after ousting Orban ally
Andras Baka, a former head of Hungary's Supreme Court, was nominated for the presidential office by Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar's Tisza party.
Europe needs more than soldiers if Russia attacks, defense expert says
In this interview, the Kyiv Independent's Martin Fornusek speaks with Martin Sklenar, former Slovak defense minister, about the likelihood of a Russian attack on NATO, Europe's military readiness, U.S. troop reductions, defense spending, and the growing debate over conscription.
Ukraine keeps changing defense ministers. Is that hurting the war effort?
President Volodymyr Zelensky's unexpected dismissal of Ukraine's defense minister triggered protests across the country and caught some of Ukraine's foreign partners off guard.
Mykhailo Fedorov is the fourth person to leave the post since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, an extraordinary turnover at one of the country's most critical ministries.
His removal comes at an especially precarious moment, as Ukraine races to secure additional Patriot interceptors and launches multi-billion-do
Attacks on Ukrainians in Poland are rising. Disinformation fuels the flames
As Ukrainian-Polish relations took a nose-dive, war refugees and other Ukrainian migrants in Poland are feeling the impact.
Nationality-based attacks against Ukrainians, ranging from verbal abuse to physical assault, have been on the rise.
Experts say that disinformation — including Moscow's direct efforts to inflame relations between the two neighbors further — certainly plays a role.
But that is only part of the story. Ukrainian refugees have become caught in the crossfire of diplomatic dis
Could Russia attack NATO? We asked its military chief
The Kyiv Independent's Martin Fornusek speaks with Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of the NATO Military Committee, at the 2026 NATO Summit about the lessons NATO is drawing from the war in Ukraine and how the alliance is preparing for the future of warfare.
Trump's NATO envoy arrives in Kyiv for talks on Patriot missiles, drone deal
"We had a good talk — first and foremost on how to protect Ukrainian skies with more Patriot interceptor supplies through PURL," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Russia's Lavrov says he'll meet Rubio in Manila on July 23, discuss Ukraine
Russia's chief diplomat said he believes Washington has not yet rejected proposals made at last year's summit in Anchorage between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump.
Putin looks for new targets in Baltics as Ukraine invasion stalls, Lithuania's defense minister warns
"The Kremlin, (Vladimir) Putin, needs a new escalation, some kind of new victory, and in this case the Baltic region and Poland are the closest targets," Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said.
Zelensky congratulates new British PM Burnham, says UK-Ukraine ties 'stronger than ever'
Burnham, already the fifth British prime minister since the outbreak of Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine, has pledged that London's support for Kyiv would "not waver."
Von der Leyen discusses Ukraine's EU reforms, defense cooperation in first call with PM Koretskyi
"You can count on our full support, including in your work to improve energy sector’s governance," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
Republicans should include Iran in Lindsey Graham's Russia sanctions bill, Trump says
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently unveiled a revised version of the bill spearheaded by the late Senator Lindsey Graham that slaps a tariff of up to 100% on the top five buyers of Russian oil and gas.
Ukraine strikes 3 shadow fleet tankers on Black Sea, oil depots in southwestern Russia, Zelensky says
"We continue to respond to Russian strikes in a fully justified and accurate manner," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X, shortly after Russia launched one of its heaviest ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv.
We're ready to make any Russian move cost far more than it's worth — NATO military chief in exclusive interview
NATO is facing its deepest identity crisis since the end of the Cold War.
U.S. President Donald Trump's erratic relationship with Europe threatens to tear the alliance apart, and there are fears that the increasingly bellicose Russia may soon test the alliance's eastern frontier. The fast-paced military evolution of the Russia-Ukraine war also threatens NATO's long-maintained technological edge.
Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, an Italian admiral who has served as the chair of the NATO Military Committe
UK's Starmer announces $340 million for Gripen jets for Ukraine during last Kyiv visit as PM
In June, Kyiv signed a deal with Sweden to purchase 16 Gripen E fighter jets, with deliveries to begin as early as 2029.
