Because of the conflict within the Macedonian CPY regional committee, there was no resistance movement in Vardar Macedonia. The Comintern supported a policy of non-intervention at the beginning of World War II, arguing that the war was an imperialist conflict between national ruling classes. When the Soviet Union was attacked by Nazi Germany, however, the Comintern issued a directive ordering the formation of communist resistance movements in all European fascist-occupied territories and the Macedonian regional committee (RC) began organizing resistance. The RC (headed by Shatorov) immediately ordered the formation of partisan units – the first of which was formed in the Skopje region on 22 August 1941 – and attacked Bulgarian guards on 8 September in Bogomila, near Skopje. With the help of the Comintern and Joseph Stalin, the Macedonian Communists were attached to the CPY. Soon after this, Shatorov lost his popularity in the CPY and was discredited. Consequently he moved to Sofia, where he began working as one of the Bulgarian resistance movement leaders.