Inside Pro Russian Militia Traning Camp

In a hidden clearing in woods close to the Russian border , men prepare for combat , until a few days ago most of them had ordinary jobs , a supermarket worker , a miner , a labourer

Even their Commander , Alexei Mozgovoi's new to this , he used to run a construction company  but is now ready to lead his men into battle against what he see's as the illegal government in Kiev

"It is already a state of civil war , it began after the first shots in Slavyanksk and now it's on full swing the East of Ukraine is moving steadily towards Russia , and that's a fact" he said

The spark for their action was February's revolution in the captial  which they believe has imposed an illegal Pro European government which does not serve them

the plan is that when these men leave here , they will form new armed groups , until each town in East Ukraine has it's own militia , their take on this conflict is the mirror image many in the West , for them it is the Ukrainian Army who are the aggressors ,   as one of the militia Alexei said "they're bandits and they call us separatists , they're threatning us with life in prisonment , so far as we are concerned they are war criminals and face a death sentence"

Another one Viktor added "my family are proud of me because they know i'm here to offer them and other families protection and security"

The men train together and live together , and they are flying the flag of one of Russia's main political parties , the LDPR , Alexei says "you won't believe it , I used to live and work just like everyone else , i'm not hungry for power i want law and order , and for the people to be heard"

Alexei took reporters to a derelict armaments factory that used to provide thousands of jobs  locally and which he said partly explained why he wanted closer links to Russia , saying "we have given everything away , from nuclear weapons to factories , Russia understands that if you want peace , prepare for war"

He and his follers were now armed and in their military uniforms , but he was evasive when asked who had supplied their weapons  , Barack Obama , Barack Obama gave us the weapons through his politics , if he stayed at home and ran his own country and did'nt poke his nose into others , there would be no weapons , not in Syria , not in Libya " he said

And he is equally evasive when asked what had been discussed in Moscow and who with , he told reporters "why are you only interested in asking about my trip to Moscow ? we're one people , who am I to go to if not my brother?"

There is a serious point in what he says , U.S. and Europe's support for the government in Kiev has inflamed opinion in Eastern Ukraine , and many who began as moderates  , will no longer settle mearly to split from Kiev , they are preparing to fight to be part of the Russian Federation

National elections are scheduled for next Sunday , who ever wins will inherit a divided country with entire towns out of Kiev's control and many in no mood to compromise