MELITOPOL, September 25. /TASS/. Russian forces repelled attacks by Ukrainian assault units last evening and overnight near the village of Verbovoye in the Zaporozhye segment of the combat line of engagement, Vladimir Rogov, leader of the We Are Together With Russia movement, told TASS.

"The situation is tense along the Rabotino-Verbovoye section but everything is under control. At least four Ukrainian assault squadrons attempted to break through to our positions for close combat in the vicinity of Verbovoye on Sunday night but they were eliminated or dispersed. All the attacks were repelled," Rogov said.

According to the politician, on this segment of the line of engagement, Ukrainian troops are attempting to attack on a west-to-east axis near Novopokrovka and Verbovoye and in the southern direction in the vicinity of Novoprokopovka.

"Overnight, several more Ukrainian groups numbering over two squadrons tried to force their way through but were also dispersed. Everything is as usual, there have been no breakthroughs. Our guys continue to hold the line," Rogov noted.

On September 22, he told TASS that the Ukrainian armed forces had redeployed more than 10,000 troops from other sections of the combat line of engagement in the Zaporozhye area to the vicinity of Rabotino and Verbovoye. According to his assessment, reinforcements of the Ukrainian grouping in this area may be a sign of preparations for active combat operations.

The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier that the Ukrainian armed forces had been making unsuccessful attempts at a counteroffensive since June 4. On September 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that, since then, Ukrainian troops have lost 71,500 people, 543 tanks and almost 18,000 armored vehicles of various types. The Russian head of state noted that the "counteroffensive" has produced no results.