Russia said it had repelled a large-scale Ukrainian attack on the war’s front line and had destroyed several armored vehicles in the overnight battle.

The attack took place in the southern part of the Donetsk region on Sunday, Russia’s Defence Ministry said in a statement early Monday. It comes as Ukraine prepares a counteroffensive to regain occupied territories. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv.

“The enemy’s goal was to break through our defence in what it considered to be the most vulnerable section of the front,” the statement said, adding that six mechanised and two tank battalions of the Ukrainian army took part in the attack. “The enemy did not achieve its objectives, it had no success.”

Russian forces claimed they had destroyed 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armored fighting vehicles.