In Moscow, the Union of Donbass Volunteers, an organization of Russian fighters who have been at war since 2014, is mobilizing its troops.

Russian paramilitary fighters who stand ready, when ordered, to fight alongside the separatists.

"The supposed enemy is on the right, and we are going into contact to repel his attack against the group", explains to France 24, Dmitry "Voron", deputy head of the apparatus of the Union of Donbass volunteers.

These men present themselves as reserve officers of the Russian army.

All of them fought in the separatist Donbass.

In this forest near Moscow, they train in combat tactics.

Workouts that Dmitry "Voron" says are ordinary.

But right now, they say they are ready to go back to fight for good.

"If necessary, our Union of Donbass Volunteers will come into play to defend the Russian people in the Donbass. And of course, these achievements will be useful to us", continues Dmitry "Voron".

Do they expect a scenario of this type soon?

"Yes," he replies.

"You can imagine that with such an escalation, it is expected to happen."

"Russia cannot remain indifferent"

Defending the Russian people in the Donbass has been a rhetoric deployed by Russia since the beginning of the conflict in this region of eastern Ukraine.

In Moscow, the organization of Russian Donbass fighters is led by Alexander Borodai, the very first leader of the self-proclaimed separatist entity in the Donetsk People's Republic (DNR). 

"Russia cannot remain indifferent and not intervene when the genocide of the Russian people of Donbass occurs," he told France 24. "I remind you that since 2018, Russia has been distributing passports in Donbass. today, about 800,000 people who live permanently in the Donbass are citizens of Russia."

For Alexandre Borodaï, open war would henceforth be inevitable.

And in his words, which echo those of the Kremlin, the fault lies with a Ukraine "colonized by NATO".

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