MELITOPOL, April 8. /TASS/. Russian troops moved forward northwest of Verbovoye in the Zaporozhye Region and seized a Ukrainian army stronghold, Vladimir Rogov, chairman of the We Are Together with Russia public movement, told TASS on Monday.

"Fierce fighting is ongoing northwest of Verbovoye and the initiative is in our hands. I can say that offensive operations are underway northwest of Verbovoye and our fighters have seized another Ukrainian army stronghold and improved their forward edge positions," Rogov said.

Ukrainian forces are hiding in forest belts in that frontline sector, he added.

The Ukrainian military attempted to attack the community of Mirnoye liberated by Russian troops in March, Rogov said.

"Those groups of militants that headed to it were destroyed completely," he said.