Highlights: Russia says it has repelled a vast Ukrainian 'offensive', Kiev remains silent. In a statement, Russia said it had repelled on Monday "a large-scale Ukrainian offensive" in the Donbass. In addition to these claims, the Russians released a video showing what are presented as Ukrainian tanks filmed from the air being destroyed by Russian forces. They come as Kiev has claimed for months to be preparing a major counter-offensive against Russian forces in order to recover the lost swathes of territory.

In a statement, Russia said it had repelled on Monday "a large-scale Ukrainian offensive" in the Donbass. For its part, Kiev did not comment.

Russia says it has repelled a vast Ukrainian 'offensive', Kiev remains silent

In a statement, Russia said it had repelled on Monday "a large-scale Ukrainian offensive" in the Donbass. For its part, Kiev did not comment.

Ukrainian servicemen board an armored vehicle in the Donetsk region, October 3, 2022. REUTERS - ZOHRA BENSEMRA

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On the morning of June 4, the enemy launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the front in the direction of the southern Donetsk region," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, without specifying the exact location of the battle. "The enemy has not achieved its goal, it has not succeeded," he added.

In addition to these claims, the Russians released a video showing what are presented as Ukrainian tanks filmed from the air being destroyed by Russian forces.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Ukrainian army carried out this offensive in several places in Donbass using six mechanized battalions and two tank battalions.

Russian positions were also reportedly attacked in the Zaporizhzhia region, "Ukrainian forces launched an attack, and on a larger scale than yesterday (...). The situation is alarming," Vladimir Rogov, a Russian occupation official in the region, was quoted as saying by the official TASS news agency.

>> READ ALSO: Ukraine is ready for a counter-offensive, but it risks heavy losses, says Zelensky

Incursions into Russia

For their part, the Ukrainian authorities are silent about these claims. They come as Kiev has claimed for months to be preparing a major counter-offensive against Russian forces in order to recover the lost swathes of territory. In a video released Sunday, the Ukrainian military appeared to call on soldiers to remain silent and said there would be no announcement about the start of the offensive.

In addition to the Donbass frontline, fighting also broke out Sunday in Russia, in the Belgorod region between the Russian army and pro-Ukrainian Russian fighters, according to the regional governor. Villages near the border have been heavily bombed by Ukraine for the past week, forcing thousands to flee to Belgorod, the region's major city. In total, at least seven people died in the area.

Russia says it has repelled a vast Ukrainian 'offensive', Kiev remains silent

Russia says it has repelled a vast Ukrainian 'offensive', Kiev remains silent

Incursions into Russia

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