Major Events of February 2015: Key Historical Moments from the Month
Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from February 2015 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.
Major Events of February 2015: Key Historical Moments from the Month
- 01 Feb 2015 Super Bowl XLIX: New England Patriots Defeat Seattle Seahawks: In an exciting American football championship, the New England Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady received his third Super Bowl MVP award, joining an elite group of quarterbacks including Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana.
- 02 Feb 2015 Ongoing Conflict in Donbass: Intense artillery shelling in Donetsk resulted in at least one civilian death and five Ukrainian Army soldiers killed during heavy fighting, highlighting the continued tensions in the region.
- 03 Feb 2015 ISIS Execution of Jordanian Pilot: The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) posted graphic photos of Muath Al Kasasbeh, a Jordanian Air Force pilot, being burned alive. Jordan claimed the pictures were approximately one month old, sparking international outrage.
- 04 Feb 2015 Ukraine Military Headquarters Attack: Armed conflict in Ukraine escalated with missile strikes on the military headquarters in Kramatorsk, resulting in 15 deaths and 60 injuries, further demonstrating the ongoing tensions in the region.
- 05 Feb 2015 Tunisia Forms Unity Government: Tunisia established a unity government led by Habib Essid, representing a significant political milestone. The government includes ministers from secular and moderate Islamist parties, with 166 out of 217 lawmakers supporting the coalition.
- 06 Feb 2015 Canada Legalizes Assisted Suicide: Canada's Supreme Court overturned the ban on assisted suicide, allowing doctors to help mentally competent patients with serious and incurable conditions end their lives, marking a significant legal and ethical milestone.
- 07 Feb 2015 Donbass Peace Negotiations: French and Russian leaders collaborate on a peace plan for Ukraine, to be presented to President Petro Poroshenko, aiming to de-escalate tensions in the ongoing Donbass conflict.
- 08 Feb 2015 Deadly Football Clashes in Cairo: A tragic incident occurred in Cairo, Egypt, where 22 people were killed during clashes between Zamalek SC football supporters and police. In response, Egyptian authorities indefinitely suspended football league matches.
- 09 Feb 2015 Greek Prime Minister's Austerity Plan: The Greek prime minister outlined a comprehensive plan to dismantle the existing austerity program, signaling potential significant economic policy shifts.
- 10 Feb 2015 Creation of Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center: The Obama Administration established a new federal agency designed to serve as a critical fusion center between government agencies and the private sector, aimed at combating sophisticated cyber attacks and enhancing national cybersecurity infrastructure.
- 11 Feb 2015 Obama Seeks ISIS Authorization: President Obama formally requested congressional authorization for a three-year campaign against ISIS, proposing a strategy that includes airstrikes and limited ground troop deployment.
- 12 Feb 2015 Ashton Carter Confirmed as US Secretary of Defense: The US Senate confirms Ashton Carter as the 25th Secretary of Defense, a critical leadership position in the United States military and national security apparatus.
- 13 Feb 2015 Boko Haram Attacks Chad, Triggering Regional Military Response: Thirty Boko Haram militants crossed Lake Chad on four motorboats and attacked Ngouboua village in Chad. This aggression prompted Chad to join a military alliance with Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon to combat the terrorist group.
- 14 Feb 2015 Ukraine-Russia Conflict Escalation: Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko warned of an imminent threat to the ceasefire in the Donbass region, accusing Russia of significantly increasing its military offensive. He ordered all Ukrainian forces to cease fire after midnight in a live television interview, highlighting the ongoing tensions in the conflict.
- 15 Feb 2015 Islamic State Execution of Coptic Christians: The Islamic State released a video purporting to show the execution of 21 Coptic Christians kidnapped in Sirte, Libya. In response, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced a seven-day mourning period and called for a high-level security meeting.
- 16 Feb 2015 Egypt Retaliates Against ISIS After Coptic Christian Execution: In response to the execution of 21 Coptic Christians, Egypt conducted bombing raids targeting Islamic State positions in Derna, Libya, escalating military actions against ISIS in the region.
- 17 Feb 2015 Escalating Tensions in Donbass: The ongoing conflict in Donbass intensified as the Ukrainian President's office called for NATO and EU condemnation of Russian-backed rebels in Debaltseve. Rebel officials disputed the town's inclusion in the ceasefire agreement, signaling continued military tensions.
- 18 Feb 2015 Obama Seeks Authorization Against ISIS: President Obama formally requests congressional authorization for a three-year campaign against ISIS, proposing airstrikes and limited ground troop deployment.
- 19 Feb 2015 Venezuelan Opposition Leader Arrested: On the anniversary of Leopoldo Lopez's arrest, Venezuelan authorities detained Antonio Ledezma, the Opposition Mayor of Caracas. President Nicolas Maduro accused him of planning a coup with U.S. support, which the United States has denied.
- 20 Feb 2015 Eurozone and Greece Bailout Agreement: The Eurozone authorities and the Greek government reached a tentative agreement on extending bailout terms, potentially averting a financial crisis and providing temporary economic stability.
- 21 Feb 2015 Western Powers Consider Sanctions Against Russia: The United States and United Kingdom discussed potential new sanctions against Russia for violating the ceasefire in the Donbass region of Ukraine. Simultaneously, a prisoner exchange was completed between the Ukrainian Army and rebel separatists.
- 22 Feb 2015 Ukraine Conflict and Kharkiv Explosion: Pro-Russian rebels began removing heavy weapons from eastern Ukraine's front lines as part of a ceasefire agreement. Simultaneously, an explosion at a pro-Ukraine march in Kharkiv killed three people and injured over ten others.
- 23 Feb 2015 Donbass Conflict: Ukrainian Army Challenges Ceasefire: On February 23, 2015, tensions escalated in the Donbass region of Ukraine as the Ukrainian Army reported continued attacks by rebel forces, preventing the withdrawal of heavy weapons despite an established ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin downplayed the potential for war while simultaneously refusing diplomatic meetings with French and German representatives to discuss the conflict.
- 24 Feb 2015 Yemen's President Resigns: President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi resigned after fleeing from the Houthis, marking a critical moment in the ongoing Yemeni Crisis and signaling further political instability in the region.
- 25 Feb 2015 Roman Polanski Court Hearing in Krakow: Film director Roman Polanski testified in a closed-media court hearing in Krakow, Poland, regarding an American extradition request related to a 1977 child sex crimes conviction. The hearing was subsequently postponed to April.
- 26 Feb 2015 FCC Establishes Net Neutrality Rules: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted to classify internet service providers as public utilities, establishing comprehensive net neutrality rules. Additionally, the FCC moved to override state laws in North Carolina and Tennessee that restricted municipal broadband providers' expansion.
- 27 Feb 2015 Assassination of Boris Nemtsov: Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was assassinated in Moscow while walking with his girlfriend. The high-profile murder occurred near the Kremlin, shocking the international political community and raising significant questions about political dissent in Russia.
- 28 Feb 2015 ISIS Executes Egyptian Coptic Christians: ISIS militants brutally beheaded 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians kidnapped from Sirte, prompting a swift military response from Egypt with airstrikes targeting the militant stronghold in Derna, eastern Libya.