The extreme nationalist Movement for Russian National Unity has started special military training service for young members ahead of their conscription by into the armed forces, a chief spokesman for the organization said Thursday.


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.