Ukraine Crisis: Russian troops yesterday took control of the Crimean peninsula, controlling the main highways and government buildings, and shutting down the primary airport.

 In response, the Ukraine government in Kiev put its military forces on full combat alert. “This is the red alert, this is not a threat, this is actually a declaration of war to my country,” Ukraine’s prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, told reporters.

The UN security Council held an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss the crisis and President Obama had a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin said that Putin told Obama that Russia reserves the right to protect its interests in Ukraine and Russian-speaking citizens who live there.

The White House put out a statement saying, “President Obama made clear that Russia’s continued violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would negatively impact Russia’s standing in the international community.”

Despite President Obama’s vow that there would be “costs” if Russia were to intervene militarily, there’s little within reason the US can do to cause Russia enough discomfort to stop. US military action is unthinkable and Russia, despite a limping economy, can withstand economic sanctions in the near term. Putin appears to be willing to throw away all the image polishing he did by spending $50 billion on the Winter Olympics. It’s not impossible that he will roll through the rest of Ukraine.

China terror: At least 33 people were killed and 143 wounded by knife-wielding assailants in a railroad station in the Southwestern city of Kunming. Police shot dead four attackers and are searching for more. “It was an organized, premeditated violent terrorist attack,” China’s Xinhua news agency said. The government identified the attackers as Uighur Muslim separatists. Witnesses on the Chinese version of Twitter said two of the attackers were women, but the assailants have not been identified. China has suffered several attacks in recent years by Muslim militants from the Western region of  Xinjiang.

The Long Winter: A band of winter weather stretches all the way from Texas to New York and Boston today. It’s 9 degrees and snowing in Amarillo; 12 degrees with snow in Cleveland; 38 with snow and sleet in New York.

Oscar Night: Following a weekend of heavy weather, it could still rain on the Oscar parade tonight. Showers are expected. Comedian Ellen DeGeneres hosts the show. The favorites for Best Picture are “12 Years a Slave,” the space drama “Gravity,” and the con caper “American Hustle.”

The Hand You’re Dealt: Veteran space and technology reporter Miles O’Brien was in an odd accident this past week in Japan. An equipment case fell on his arm and it hurt, but he dismissed the injury. The arm discolored, went numb and his doctors diagnosed “compartment syndrome” in which the swelling was shutting down circulation. They operated, and he woke up without his left hand and forearm. Cheerful only days later, O’Brien said, “It’s an opportunity to buy some really cool new gadgets.”

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