MOSCOW: The Russian army said Wednesday it had repelled a Ukrainian attack involving several hundred soldiers near the town of Orikhiv in the south, one of the areas where Kyiv has been carrying out its counteroffensive.

Kyiv last month began a highly anticipated counteroffensive against Russian troops after stockpiling Western weapons and building up its offensive forces.

"On the morning of July 26, the enemy resumed intensive offensive operations" near Orikhiv, Russia's defence ministry said in a statement.

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It added that Ukraine "conducted a massive attack by the forces of three battalions reinforced by tanks".

"All attacks of the Armed Force of Ukraine were repelled. Positions were held," the ministry said.

The Russian military also said it progressed in the direction of Lyman, in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, after reporting an advance of up to two kilometres (1.2 miles) on Tuesday.

The ministry said the fighting was taking place near the village of Sergiivka, which Moscow claimed to have take control of.