Russian forces have been gathering on the border with eastern Ukraine in what was earlier described as military exercises.  But the White House and NATO’s top military commander are now warning that it could be for an invasion of Ukraine.  The Russians deny that is their intent.

“It’s deeply concerning to see the Russian troop buildup on the border,” President Barack Obama's deputy national security adviser Tony Blinken told the American news network CNN.  “It creates the potential for incidents, for instability.  It’s likely that what they're trying to do is intimidate the Ukrainians.  It’s possible that they're preparing to move in.”

And if they do, Blinken says Ukraine cannot expect a lot of help from the west.  “The facts are these: even if assistance were to go to Ukraine, that is very unlikely to change Russia's calculus or prevent any invasion,” he said.

Earlier NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Philip Breedlove said that not only can the Russian move into Ukraine, they’ve gathered enough forces to sweep all the way across the south.

"The (Russian) force that is at the Ukrainian border now to the east is very, very sizeable and very, very ready,” Breedlove said.  “There is absolutely sufficient force postured on the eastern border of Ukraine to run to Trans-Dniester if the decision was made to do that and that is very worrisome.”

Trans-Dniester, or Transnistria is a peculiar strip of Moldova that has never fully accepted the dissolution of the Soviet Union.  It claims to be independent, although no government in the world recognizes that.  And despite most of its industry being privately-owned, it still exalts the Hammer and Sickle of Communism.  As Crimea was hacked off of Ukraine and annexed into Russia, the Trans-Dniester Supreme Soviet sent a request asking to join the Russian Federation.