Video posted on the 'Vasil Levski Military Union - Shipka Bulgarian National Movement' Facebook page .

Video posted on the 'Vasil Levski Military Union - Shipka Bulgarian National Movement' Facebook page.

These groups were created in 2014. The first group [Vasil Levski Military Union] is made up of police and army veterans, whilst the second [Shipka Bulgarian National Movement] brings together scientists, university academics and even ordinary workers. Altogether, there are 40,000 volunteers working together to defend the sovereignty, independence and security of the country [Editor's note: France 24 is unable to independently verify this figure].



This official video, which was published by the group on October 22, shows its members seeking to emulate the military. The men wear military fatigues while carrying out military drills, standing at attention and marching in formation. Other images show militiamen- some wearing balaclavas and carrying machetes- marching through fields and a forest, then crawling along the ground and shooting at targets.The video also uses language common to far-right activists. During the video, the group accuses migrants of being 'invaders', 'vandals' and 'rapists', and calls on viewers to join its 'army of volunteers'.Another video, uploaded on September 4, shows armed militiamen forcing a group of migrants to walk in single file. They're marched into a clearing, where another group of migrants are already sitting on the ground. The video doesn't show what happens next.Similar videos are posted on a weekly basis by the militia, which is itself composed of two groups: the 'Vasil Levski Military Union'; and the 'Shipka Bulgarian National Movement'. Both share the same website and Facebook page When contacted by France 24, Vladimir Rusev, the commander-in-chief of Vasil Levski Military Union, defended the militia: