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Major Events of February 2021: 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 2021 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

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Major Events of February 2021: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Feb 2021 Myanmar Military Coup: On February 1st, 2021, the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) executed a strategic coup d'état, forcibly removing democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi from power and reinstating direct military rule. The coup abruptly terminated Myanmar's fragile democratic transition, detaining key civilian government officials and declaring a one-year state of emergency.
  • 02 Feb 2021 Alexey Navalny Imprisoned: Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in Moscow, allegedly for parole violations, which was widely seen as a politically motivated attempt to suppress dissent against the Russian government.
  • 03 Feb 2021 US and Russia Extend New START Nuclear Treaty: The United States and Russia agreed to extend the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) nuclear arms control agreement for an additional five years. This crucial diplomatic move preserves the last remaining bilateral nuclear arms limitation treaty between the two nations, helping to maintain strategic stability and prevent potential nuclear escalation.
  • 04 Feb 2021 House Removes Marjorie Taylor Greene from Committee Assignments: In a highly partisan vote, the United States House of Representatives voted 230–199 to remove Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (Republican-Georgia) from her assignments on the Education and Labor and Budget committees. This unprecedented action was taken in response to her controversial statements and conspiracy theories.
  • 05 Feb 2021 Suspicious Death of Doctor Who Treated Navalny: Dr. Sergei Maximishin, the physician who played a crucial role in treating Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after his poisoning, died unexpectedly on February 5, 2021, at the young age of 55. The circumstances surrounding his sudden death raised significant suspicions given the political context of Navalny's case.
  • 06 Feb 2021 UN Condemns Ethiopian Aid Blockade in Tigray: The United Nations reports that the Ethiopian government is obstructing humanitarian aid to 2.3 million people in non-government-controlled rural areas of Tigray, exacerbating a critical humanitarian crisis and potentially violating international humanitarian principles.
  • 07 Feb 2021 Uttarakhand Glacier Disaster: A catastrophic Himalayan glacier collapse occurs in Uttarakhand, India, causing massive flooding in the Dhauliganga river. The disaster destroys a dam, results in 26 confirmed deaths, and leaves 150 people missing, highlighting the increasing environmental risks in mountainous regions.
  • 08 Feb 2021 Remembering George Shultz: Diplomat and Statesman: Former Secretary of State George Shultz passed away at 100, marking the end of an era for a distinguished diplomat who played a crucial role in U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War era under President Ronald Reagan.
  • 09 Feb 2021 Second Impeachment Trial of Donald Trump: The United States Senate commenced the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, a historic and unprecedented event stemming from his alleged role in inciting the January 6th Capitol insurrection. The trial focused on examining Trump's actions leading up to and during the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters, which disrupted the certification of the 2020 presidential election results.
  • 10 Feb 2021 Senate Affirms Trump Impeachment Trial Constitutionality: The United States Senate voted 56-44 to confirm the constitutionality of holding an impeachment trial for former President Donald Trump, paving the way for the trial to proceed on the following day.
  • 11 Feb 2021 US COVID-19 Deaths Surpass 500,000: The United States reached a grim milestone as COVID-19 deaths exceeded 500,000, surpassing the combined American fatalities from World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War, highlighting the pandemic's devastating impact.
  • 12 Feb 2021 COVID-19 Vaccination Challenges in Los Angeles: Los Angeles faced significant vaccine distribution challenges, temporarily closing five vaccination centers, including the large-scale site at Dodger Stadium, due to vaccine dose shortages. President Joe Biden visited the National Institutes of Health, criticizing the previous administration's inadequate preparation for mass vaccination efforts.
  • 13 Feb 2021 Trump's Second Impeachment Trial Concludes: The United States Senate conducted the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, ultimately voting to acquit him. The final vote was 57-43, falling short of the two-thirds majority required for conviction, effectively ending the legal proceedings against the former president.
  • 14 Feb 2021 Ebola Epidemic Resurfaces in Guinea: Guinea officially declared an Ebola epidemic after three confirmed deaths, marking the country's first Ebola outbreak since the devastating 2014-2016 West African epidemic. This declaration signals potential public health risks and necessitates immediate international medical intervention to prevent widespread transmission of the deadly virus.
  • 15 Feb 2021 Severe Winter Storm Devastates United States: A catastrophic winter storm swept across the United States from Texas to Maine, causing widespread power outages affecting over 3 million people in Texas. The extreme weather event resulted in 210 fatalities, making it one of the most destructive winter storms in recent U.S. history.
  • 16 Feb 2021 Extreme Winter Storm in Dallas: Dallas experienced its lowest temperature in 70 years during a major winter storm, with temperatures dropping to minus-2 degrees Fahrenheit, causing significant disruption and challenging local infrastructure.
  • 17 Feb 2021 Mass Protests Against Myanmar Military Coup: Unprecedented demonstrations erupted in Myanmar's major cities, including Naypyidaw, Mandalay, and Yangon, following the February 1 military coup. Public and private sector employees, along with civil servants, participated in massive protests despite explicit warnings from the military junta, signaling strong public resistance to the overthrow of democratic governance.
  • 18 Feb 2021 NASA's Perseverance Rover Lands on Mars: NASA's Perseverance rover successfully landed in the Jezero Crater on Mars as part of the Mars 2020 mission. This sophisticated robotic explorer is designed to search for signs of ancient microbial life, collect rock and soil samples for potential future return to Earth, and pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet.
  • 19 Feb 2021 First Fatality in Myanmar Anti-Coup Protests: Mya Thwe Thwe Khaine, a 19-year-old pro-democracy protester, tragically became the first known casualty during the widespread anti-military coup demonstrations in Myanmar, symbolizing the intense resistance against the military's seizure of power.
  • 20 Feb 2021 Myanmar Protests Turn Violent: In a tragic escalation of the post-coup protests, security forces in Mandalay opened fire on demonstrators, resulting in two fatalities and injuring approximately 40 people. This marked the bloodiest day of protests since the military coup, highlighting the intense political tension in Myanmar.
  • 21 Feb 2021 Historic Democratic Transfer of Power in Niger: Mohamed Bazoum, the former interior minister, won the presidential election in Niger, achieving a landmark moment for the country by marking the first peaceful democratic transition of power in this economically challenged West African nation. This election represents a significant step towards democratic consolidation in a region often characterized by political instability.
  • 22 Feb 2021 US COVID-19 Death Toll Reaches 500,000 Milestone: On February 22, 2021, the United States reached a devastating milestone as the COVID-19 pandemic death toll surpassed 500,000 lives lost. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris held a solemn candle-lighting ceremony outside the White House to commemorate the immense human tragedy. During the ceremony, they emphasized the importance of remembering each life lost and urged the nation not to become desensitized to the profound grief and suffering caused by the pandemic.
  • 23 Feb 2021 COVID-19 Antibody Survey Reveals Massive Underreporting in Nigeria: A comprehensive COVID-19 antibody survey conducted in Lagos, Nigeria, revealed a staggering finding: approximately 4 million people in the state had been infected with the virus. This number significantly exceeded the official recorded cases for the entire African continent, suggesting massive underreporting and highlighting the challenges in tracking the pandemic's true spread in developing regions.
  • 24 Feb 2021 COVAX Begins Global COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution: The COVAX initiative, a global collaboration led by the World Health Organization (WHO), GAVI, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), successfully launched its first vaccine delivery to developing nations. On February 24, 2021, Ghana became the first country to receive COVID-19 vaccines through this groundbreaking program, marking a significant milestone in the global effort to ensure equitable vaccine access for middle and low-income countries during the pandemic.
  • 25 Feb 2021 China Declares End of Extreme Poverty: Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that the country has successfully eradicated extreme poverty, defined as earning less than US$620 annually. However, international observers remain skeptical about the claim due to concerns about data transparency and potential systemic corruption in reporting.
  • 26 Feb 2021 Zamfara Mass Kidnapping of Female Students: A horrific mass abduction occurred in Zamfara State, Nigeria, where 279 female students between the ages of 10 and 17 were kidnapped by armed bandits, highlighting the ongoing security challenges and vulnerability of children in the region.
  • 27 Feb 2021 Near Earth Object Passage: Near Earth Object (2021 DE), a celestial body measuring between 37 and 82 meters in diameter, passed Earth at approximately 4.2 lunar distances. The object was traveling at an impressive velocity of 25.71 kilometers per second (equivalent to 57,500 miles per hour).
  • 28 Feb 2021 Myanmar Military Violently Suppresses Anti-Coup Protests: On February 28, 2021, Myanmar security forces launched a brutal crackdown on anti-coup protesters in multiple cities. The military used lethal force to disperse peaceful demonstrators and clear roadblocks, resulting in the deaths of 18 protesters. In addition to the fatalities, over 30 individuals were wounded by live ammunition, and numerous protesters were arrested, marking a significant escalation of violence against civilian opposition to the military coup.