According to Russian officials and military bloggers, Ukrainian attacks in the crucial Zaporizhzhia region of the south are still ongoing.
They claim that for the second night in a row, Ukrainian troops are attempting to advance south of the town of Orikhovo with the support of tanks, artillery, and drones.
A senior Ukrainian defense official claimed that the adversary was "actively defending.".
Numerous military experts have predicted that Zaporizhzhia will be the main target of Ukraine's eagerly anticipated counteroffensive.
According to their argument, Kyiv is attempting to retake access to the Sea of Azov by dividing the occupying Russian forces in the area into two separate formations. That would make them less effective in battle. .
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), based in the US, claimed earlier on Thursday that Ukraine's counteroffensive had started, though Kyiv has remained mum on the subject.
Heavy fighting is still going on along multiple sectors of the front, according to the UK defense ministry, "amid a highly complex operational picture.".
"In most areas," it was added, "Ukraine holds the initiative.".
After President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia quickly took control of the majority of the Zaporizhzhia region, including Europe's largest nuclear power plant.
Ukraine governs Zaporizhzhia, which serves as the region's capital.
A number of pro-Kremlin military bloggers in Russia claimed late on Thursday that Ukraine had picked up its attacks the previous night.
They claimed that drones were used to direct artillery fire as well as armored personnel carriers.
Local official Vladimir Rogov, who was appointed by Russia, claimed that there had been "active fighting" between Orikhovo and Tokmak, with Russian forces reserving their positions.
Many military experts believe that Ukraine should focus on the town of Tokmak as it attempts to advance toward the Sea of Azov.
The alleged Ukrainian assault had been repelled, according to Sergei Shoigu, the minister of defense for Russia, hurting the adversary. The minister didn't back up his assertion with any evidence.
In the meantime, Russian forces were said to be "in active defense" on the Zaporizhzhia direction, according to a brief statement made by Hanna Maliar, Ukraine's deputy defense minister, on Thursday.
The military of Ukraine only reported that the "enemy continues to be on the defensive" toward Zaporizhzhia and the neighboring Kherson, a region hit by severe flooding after a major dam collapsed earlier this week, in its most recent bulletin on Thursday evening.
Russian troops had used artillery and airstrikes there during the day, the Ukrainian military added.
For months, Ukraine has been preparing a counteroffensive, but it has taken as much time as possible to prepare its troops and obtain cutting-edge military gear from Western allies.
The BBC was informed by Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, last month that Kyiv was prepared to launch the attack but did not provide a specific date.