Martin Fornusek is an assistant editor at the Kyiv Independent. Until recently, Martin held the role of foreign affairs reporter specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, focusing on 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.
Wealthy Russians have already contributed a total of 471 billion rubles (over $5.6 billion) to the state budget in 2026, according to Reuters. The payments are listed as "voluntary receipts" in budget documents.
The Russian special services are targeting military facilities, critical infrastructure, and communication systems, Ukraine's military intelligence service (HUR) warned.
Among those returned were people held under forced medical treatment and at risk of mobilization by Russia, according to Ukraine's human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.
In this report, the Kyiv Independent travels to Odesa and the surrounding region to document how intensified Russian attacks are threatening the city, its ports, and Ukraine’s vital Black Sea trade route.
The sanctions target Artur Orlov, head of Russia's Movement of the First, a state-backed organization for children and young people, as well as five heads of its regional branches in occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts and Crimea.
"This is very timely support, which will help ensure Ukraine’s macro-financial stability and strengthen our defense capabilities," said President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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