The last lifelines into besieged towns along the eastern frontline for Ukrainian troops, caught in a web of increasingly lethal and sophisticated drone warfare, rely on a technology millennia old: a fishing net.

The Russian government has decided to officially close 20 border crossing points with Ukraine established by a 1995 agreement, starting from 1 August. Ukraine's State Border Guard Service has emphasised that all crossing points on the border with the Russian Federation have been officially closed since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

While faster than before, Russia’s territorial gains remain minor, with only 5,000 square kilometres (1,930 square miles) of Ukraine taken since the start of last year, less than 1% of the country’s overall territory, according to a June report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank.

A former Ukrainian prisoner of war, Stanislav Tarnavskyi, has embraced life with urgency since his release in April.

Ukrainian swimmer Vladyslav Bukhov talks to CNN Sports about his unlikely journey to world champion and training in a war zone.

At the end of the day, the EU needs U.S. weapons to keep Ukraine afloat into its struggle for survival against Russia.”

Ukraine has relied on this innovative tactic to wreak havoc on Russia's Black Sea fleet, damaging or destroying a number of warships.

Polish and allied NATO aircraft were scrambled in response to a large Russian drone and missile attack launched into Ukraine on Sunday night, the Polish military's Operational Command said in a statement.