Kyiv: Ukrainian forces have begun a counter-attack to retake the southern city of Kherson currently occupied by Russian troops, a local government official said Monday.

"Today there was a powerful artillery attack on enemy positions in... the entire territory of the occupied Kherson region," Deputy of Kherson Regional Council Sergey Khlan told Ukraine's Pryamyi TV channel.

"This is the announcement of what we have been waiting for since the spring -- it is the beginning of the de-occupation of Kherson region."