ukraine has come to be in an arc of strong pressure on more than the common border with russia , which is 1,270 kilometers , alone ; add to it the uncertain situation in crimea , and the activation of the 14th army of general lebed in the dniester region , who -- while in the latest twist calling his former comrades -in- arms from the leadership of the unrecognized dniester republic criminals -- has actually confirmed suspicions of the transformation of this part of moldova into an area of ad hoc russian military autonomy .