Team

Martin Fornusek
Senior News EditorMartin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Articles

Trump to push ceasefire in Alaska meeting with Putin, says Zelensky after call with US president
"We talked about a ceasefire today. President Trump said this is one of his priorities in conversation with President Putin," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Russia, Belarus to practice nuclear, Oreshnik deployment plans during Zapad drills, Minsk claims
"The head of state demands that we must be ready for all possible scenarios," Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said.

Ukraine open to discussing aerial truce with Russia, Zelensky's aide says
"Russia is unlikely to abandon the use of strategic aviation or large-scale drone deployments," Mykhailo Podolyak told Corriere della Sera. "However, Ukraine is ready to discuss and consider this scenario," he added.

Russia's daily losses 3 times higher than Ukraine's, Zelensky says
"For example, yesterday's figures, which are roughly average: Russian losses per day are about 1,000 – 500 killed and 500 wounded," President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a meeting with journalists attended by the Kyiv Independent.

Poland expels 57 Ukrainians after concert riots while Tusk warns against anti-Ukraine sentiments
The Polish police detained more than 100 people over the weekend following an Aug. 9 concert of Belarusian rapper Max Korzh at Warsaw's National Stadium.

European defense plants growing 3 times faster amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, FT reports
The Financial Times identified 7 million square meters of new industrial development after tracking changes at 150 facilities across 37 companies, namely those associated with ammunition and missile production.

Russian attacks kill 3, injure 29 in Ukraine over past day
Russia attacked Ukraine with 48 Shahed-type strike drones and decoys overnight, as well as four Iskander-M or North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles, the Air Force reported.

Russian cluster munition strike against Ukrainian training ground kills 1, injures 11, military says
After the alarm sounded, a group of soldiers was struck by cluster munitions while heading for shelter, according to the Ground Forces.

Ukrainian drones strike 'only Russian facility' producing helium for rockets, HUR source claims
Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) drones on Aug. 11 struck the Orenburg Helium Plant, a key Russian facility lying some 1,200 kilometers from the front line in Ukraine, a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent.

1,400 Russian drones battered Ukraine last week, Zelensky says ahead of Trump-Putin summit
"This is what the situation in the war looks like. And the situation in diplomacy must correspond accordingly," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.

Germany's far right calls for cutting benefits for Ukrainian refugees
Ukrainian refugees in Germany are receiving "unjustified" social payments and should return to their home country, a co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Tino Chrupalla, said in an interview on Aug. 10.

Russian attacks kill 7, injure 49 in Ukraine over past day
Russian forces launched 71 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force reported. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 59 Russian drones, while 12 drones hit six different locations.

Ukrainian drones strike Russian missile component plant in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, SBU source says
"According to preliminary information, at least four drones of the SBU's Special Operations Center 'A' struck the target," an SBU source claimed.

As ceasefire deadline passes, no additional Russia sanctions announced by Trump
The news comes as the U.S. president is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for a high-level summit on Aug. 15 in Alaska to discuss ways toward ending the war in Ukraine.

Poland's Tusk says Russia-Ukraine war could be frozen 'sooner rather than later'
"There is hope for this. Today is the deadline for the ultimatum," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a news conference.
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