The Minister of Defense of Russia Sergei Shoigu claimed Thursday that Russian forces repelled a Ukrainian attack on region of Zaporizhiain southern Ukraine, at the time when Kiev says it is ready to launch a counterattack to recapture the lands he lost to the Russians.

“Today at 1:30 a.m., in the Zaporizhia zone, the enemy attempted to break through our defense with (…) up to 1,500 men and 150 armored vehicles,” Shoigu said in his statement. According to the Russian minister, “the enemy suffered heavy losses”.

“Enemy forces trained specifically to carry out this infiltration failed to achieve their objective”he added.

According to Shoigu, “after a two-hour battle, the enemy lost 30 tanks, 11 infantry fighting vehicles and up to 350 men”. This information cannot be independently verified.

Kiev has said for months it is preparing a major counteroffensive aimed at recapturing Ukrainian territories seized by Moscow, including Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Observers estimate that the increase in “offensive operations” from part of Kiev along the front line in recent weeks is a first indication of this long-awaited counteroffensive.

However, Newsweek contacted the Ukrainian Defense Ministry about the Russian allegations. THE Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, denied statements by Russian officials that the Ukrainian counter-offensive had already begun, calling them “untrue.” Another Ukrainian official, however, commented that this is not the main counterattack.

In the meantime, stable and under control is the situation at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant after the destruction of the Kahovka Hydroelectric Power Station and its dam, the Ukrainian nuclear power company announced today.