By mid-July, deliberate shutdowns spread to most of the country, according to Na Svyazi — Russian for “staying connected” — an activist group tracking internet availability. On Thursday, the group said 61 of Russia's more than 80 regions suffered cellphone internet shutdowns. In 42 regions, there were reports of broadband network outages.

Britain on Friday said it had sanctioned more than 20 Russian spies, hackers and agencies over what it called a "sustained campaign of malicious cyber activity" to destabilise Europe. The foreign ministry said it was sanctioning three units of the Russian military intelligence GRU agency and 18 of its officers,

The U.K. has sanctioned Russian military intelligence officers and units linked to a deadly 2022 theater bombing in Ukraine

"The suitcase was found to contain an American Colt Commander, .45 caliber with three empty magazines," Russian officials said.

The European Union approved on Friday a new raft of sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukraine, including a lower oil price cap, a ban on transactions with Nord Stream gas pipelines, and the targeting of more shadow fleet ships,

Zelenskyy has emphasized the importance of expanding production to counter Russia's invasion and strike deeper into Russian territory.

US President Donald Trump’s 50-day pause ahead of possible secondary sanctions on Russia gifts the Kremlin a window to exploit the incremental gains of recent weeks in Ukraine’s east.

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged more bodies of their war dead, a Kremlin aide said on Thursday, part of an agreement struck at the second round of peace talks in Istanbul in June.