The Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) said on Monday that Russia is on the defensive in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, as Ukraine's forces ramp up activities along the front line.

The AFU added that Russia "fired artillery" at many small settlements across the region.

In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Defense said Ukraine was "launching more and more attacks in the [Zaporizhzhia] direction" — but claimed it has destroyed Ukrainian armored vehicles.

Ukraine's military have claimed advances on several fronts over the weekend after President Volodomyr Zelensky gave his strongest signal yet that his forces have begun their much-anticipated campaign to regain swathes of territory taken by Russian forces.