MELITOPOL, September 8. /TASS/. Russian forces repelled several Ukrainian attacks by near the settlements of Novomayorskoye and Novodonetskoye along the Zaporozhye line of engagement, Vladimir Rogov, chairman of the We Are Together with Russia movement, told TASS.

"About Novodonetskoye and Novomayorskoye, everything is stable along the line of engagement. There were several attempted attacks by the enemy, but all of them were stopped, and the attacks were repulsed," he said.

According to the politician, artillery bombardments of Russian positions by Ukrainian forces in the area have intensified noticeably.

"Clearly, the main blow now is directed at Novodonetskoye. Apparently, they are trying to find a weak spot to break through and move southward. The enemy is failing to break through, to somehow gain a foothold and go deeper," Rogov said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukrainian forces had been making unsuccessful attempts at an offensive since June 4. According to the ministry, Ukraine lost more than 66,000 servicemen and about 7,600 units of various weapons over the past two months, while failing to achieve its goals in any area. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on September 4 that the Ukrainian counteroffensive had had failed.