MOSCOW, June 9 (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday it had repelled fierce Ukrainian offensives in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, killing more than 1,000 Ukrainian troops and destroying dozens of tanks and armoured vehicles.
It said Ukrainian forces had attacked Russian lines four times with two battalions supported with tanks just south of Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk, but were pushed back.
Russian forces had also repelled two attacks just south of city of Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region, the ministry said.
Russia, which on Tuesday said Ukraine had lost 3,715 men in three days, did not give its own casualty figures.
Ukraine has declined to comment on the long-awaited counter-offensive and has accused Russia of spreading lies about it.
Persons:
Vladimir Putin, Guy Faulconbridge, Mark Trevelyan, Andrew Osborn, Angus MacSwan
Organizations:
Ukraine, Reuters, New York Times, U.S, Thomson
Locations:
MOSCOW, Russia, Donetsk, Moscow, Ukraine, Velyka Novosilka, Orikhiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Washington, Russian