= new reply since forum marked as read
The Article clearly states these are HOME GROWN groups. They like Russia and Putin and support the revolt in the Eastern Ukraine, but it is the Czech first.
People tend to forget that since 2000, the only countries that has seen the standard of living its working class improve has been Russia and China. Russia for it had fallen so badly in the 1990s under Yeltsin anything would be better, and China do to its increase in exports. These Militia or Home Guard units are made up from the Working Class/Peasants of their country and they are looking for a reversal of their decline in security (mostly do to the lost of security of holding a job since the fall of Communism) and overall income (after a slight increase in the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union and the abandonment by the Soviet Union of Central Europe). This is the same forces that lead to the vote on Britain NOT staying in the EU and the raise of "Radical Rights" in France, Spain and Italy. They look to Putin as a success story and a potential ally against the EU and the US.
As to support, Putin does NOT have the money to do anything more then give moral support to such groups. Until the price of oil goes back up, Putin will NOT have the money to support such groups. Thus the article tries to tie these groups in with Putin but then clearly states the only connection is these groups look to Putin for leadership and verbal support NOT material support.
The raise of such groups implies that Europe is NOT "stable, prosperous and peaceful", at least to those people of the working class and peasants.
Please note, Like Karl Marx, I exclude the 10% of any society that makes up the real poor. This group of people Marx called the "Lumpenproletariat" (Some times called just "Lumpen poor"
and today are called the "Underclass" pr working poor. will tend to follow who ever is leading any movement at any one time, thus most of them supported the Communists in 1917-1921, and then Mussolini in 1922 and then Hitler in 1933 (and Stalin post 1945).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumpenproletariat
Above them, tend to be the true Proletariat/Working class. These two classes overlap but as economic pressure force many of the "Petty Bourgeois" (Managers, foreman, doctors, nurses, lawyers and other professionals) into the working class, the working class itself starts to merge with the working poor and you have revolution. The former "Petty Bourgeois" provides the leadership and guidance for the Revolution, but the working class and the Working poor provides the muscle.
In many ways the "Petty Bourgeois" are the people who form up these Militia groups and include many working class members into such groups. The working poor tens to stay out of them (the working poor are to worried about their next meal and thus no money to buy a weapon for a revolution). These groups represent people who want social change and who ever addresses their wants will get their support (Thus right now such groups support both Trump and Putin). The membership of such groups do NOT support the present economic situation and see how Putin has address such problems in Russia and want the same for their own country.
Is Russia today up to Western European standards? No, but Russia today is vastly better then Russia of the 1990s. Thus the membership of such groups like Putin. At the same time Putin is NOT giving them any material support, he has enough problems at home. These groups are a threat, but less a threat of violent overthrow of any government as oppose to an organized opposition outside the present political parties of those countries. Right now they are a clear minority but so was Hitler in the 1920s. Hitler never did get over 50% of the vote (Hitler maxed at at about 34%) but Hitler had more support then any other party by that time period and took over. In that power play to take over, Hitler's "Storm Troopers" were a key to taking over, they provide the muscle Hitler needed. The same with these groups, whoever they support can count of their use of force to support whoever they support and at times of revolution the willingness to use force can be critical to win the revolution.
Just a comment that these groups are a symptom of the political problems of Europe today, a problem no one wants to address (i.e. how to improve the income of the Working Class) and until they concerned are address these will remain a problem whose support will be sought by people who want power. You either address the problems of the working class, or the working class will seek its own solution and that is what these groups mean.
