“The enemy’s goal was to break through our defenses in the most vulnerable, in its view, sector of the front,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement Monday night.
Ukraine has not commented on the information, which was published in the Russian state propaganda agency Tass and on social media.
Russian information is often grossly exaggerated and in many cases completely unreliable as it is used as propaganda by the Russian invading force.
Konashenkov claims that 250 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and that 16 Ukrainian tanks and several combat vehicles of various types were destroyed – which has not been independently confirmed.
He claims that the attack must have been carried out on Sunday morning. It is unclear why the information was only published late at night.
The question of whether and when a Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russian forces on occupied land could be launched has been relevant for a long time.