Alexander Rashitsky told a press conference that the military and patriotic upbringing of conscripts for the defense and interior ministries played a key part of the movement's activities.
"There are our conscripts in the armed forces including special units, paratroopers and in different units of the Interior Ministry," Rashitsky said. "They never avoid call-up into the armed forces."
Rashitsky said there were also a lot of officers in the army who shared his group's viewpoints.
Aleksei Petrenko, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said he was unaware of any conscripts being trained by the movement. "I am hearing this for the first time. There is no such program at the official level," he said.
But Petrenko acknowledged there were officers in the ministry who supported Russian National Unity.
"I am sure there are officers who share viewpoints of (Unity leader Alexander) Barkashov but they do not speak openly about it," Petrenko said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
