MOSCOW, July 26. /TASS/. Russian forces repulsed a Ukrainian army’s massive tank attack in the Zaporozhye area, destroying 22 enemy tanks and retaining their positions over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.

"From the morning of July 26, the enemy resumed intensive offensive operations in the Orekhov area. It carried out a massive attack by three battalions reinforced by tanks. All of the Ukrainian army’s attacks were repelled by courageous and professional actions of units from the 810th marine infantry brigade and the 71st motor rifle regiment of the 42nd motor rifle division. The positions were retained," the spokesman said.

During the battle, Russian forces "destroyed 22 enemy tanks, 10 infantry fighting vehicles, an armored combat vehicle and over 100 Ukrainian personnel," the general reported.

In addition, Russian forces repulsed a Ukrainian attack near Rabotino in the Zaporozhye area over the past day, he said.

"In the Zaporozhye direction, an enemy attack near Rabotino was repulsed in the past 24 hours. Two tanks, a Giatsint-B howitzer and a Gvozdika motorized artillery system were destroyed. Operational/tactical and army aircraft strikes and artillery fire inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Malaya Tokmachka, Yablokovo and Rabotino in the Zaporozhye region," the spokesman specified.

In the south Donetsk direction, "an enemy attack towards the settlement of Nikolskoye in the Zaporozhye Region was repelled," the general reported.

"In areas near the settlements of Storozhevoye and Neskuchnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Ukrainian army’s manpower and hardware were struck," he added.

Russian forces also eliminated a Ukrainian subversive and reconnaissance group near the settlement of Lugovskoye in the Zaporozhye Region, the general reported.