Major Events of March 2022: 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 March 2022 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

Major Events of March 2022: Key Historical Moments from the Month

01 Mar 2022 Biden's State of the Union Address on Ukraine Invasion: US President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union address, addressing the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. In his speech, he critically stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin had 'badly miscalculated' by launching the military invasion, signaling strong US condemnation of Russia's actions and support for Ukraine.
02 Mar 2022 Russian Invasion Escalation: Russian forces intensified their military offensive in Ukraine, significantly escalating shelling in civilian areas. A massive 40-mile convoy of Russian military vehicles stalled en route to Kyiv, raising concerns about potential plans to encircle and capture the Ukrainian capital. The most severe attacks targeted Kharkiv, with additional strikes on strategic ports like Odessa and Mariupol. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the emotional impact with his powerful statement: 'Nobody will forgive. Nobody will forget.'
03 Mar 2022 Russian Airstrikes on Ukrainian Civilian and Educational Targets: During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, devastating attacks targeted civilian and educational infrastructure in the Chernihiv and Kharkiv regions. In Chernihiv Oblast, Russian airstrikes killed at least 33 civilians and injured 18 others in residential areas. In a particularly tragic incident at the National University of Kharkiv, a Russian artillery shell struck a student dormitory at the Academy of Culture, resulting in the deaths of 13 students, including five international students (four Chinese and one Indian).
04 Mar 2022 Russo-Ukrainian War Humanitarian Crisis and Nuclear Tensions: On March 4, 2022, amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, significant humanitarian and strategic developments occurred. Russia and Ukraine negotiated safe corridors for civilian evacuation, highlighting the urgent need to protect non-combatants. Simultaneously, Russia seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, raising international concerns about potential nuclear risks. The conflict triggered a massive refugee exodus, with over 1 million people fleeing Ukraine, marking one of the largest humanitarian displacements in recent European history.
05 Mar 2022 Russia Violates Ceasefire Agreement in Ukraine: A planned humanitarian ceasefire to establish safe corridors for civilians in the Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha collapsed almost immediately due to continued Russian military shelling. Despite Russia's announcement of a five-hour cessation of hostilities to allow civilian evacuation, Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces did not honor the agreement, preventing safe passage for civilians trapped in the conflict zones.
06 Mar 2022 Brittney Griner Arrested in Russia, Global Sanctions Emerge: On March 6, 2022, WNBA star Brittney Griner was detained at a Moscow airport after Russian authorities discovered vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage. The incident escalated diplomatic tensions, with Griner potentially facing up to ten years in a Russian prison. Simultaneously, the international community responded to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with members of Congress discussing ammunition support and potential Russian oil import bans. In a significant economic move, Visa and MasterCard suspended their operations in Russia at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request, marking a substantial financial pressure point.
07 Mar 2022 Kremlin Outlines Conditions for Ending Military Campaign: Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia would terminate its military operation if Ukraine meets specific conditions: cease fighting, reject NATO membership, recognize Crimea as Russian territory, and acknowledge Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states.
08 Mar 2022 Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Fail Amid Ongoing Conflict: Russia and Ukraine concluded a third round of diplomatic negotiations with minimal progress, as Ukraine continued to mount resistance against intensifying Russian military strikes targeting Ukrainian cities.
09 Mar 2022 Russian Airstrike Destroys Mariupol Hospital During Ukraine Invasion: A devastating Russian airstrike targeted a maternity ward and children's hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, resulting in three fatalities and at least 17 injuries. This attack highlighted the brutal nature of the Russian invasion and its impact on civilian infrastructure.
10 Mar 2022 Russian Airstrike Hits Mariupol Maternity Hospital: A devastating Russian airstrike targeted a maternity hospital in the besieged Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, resulting in three fatalities and at least 17 injuries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as an 'atrocity', highlighting the presence of civilians, including children, under the rubble. The World Health Organization confirmed 18 verified attacks on healthcare facilities, health workers, and ambulances since the Russian invasion began.
11 Mar 2022 COVID-19 Pandemic Officially Declared Globally: On March 11, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. At this point, the virus had spread to numerous countries, with 121,564 confirmed cases and 4,373 recorded deaths worldwide. This declaration marked a significant escalation in the global response to the coronavirus, signaling the serious threat posed by the rapidly spreading infectious disease.
12 Mar 2022 Escalation of Russo-Ukrainian War and Regional Tensions: On March 12, 2022, multiple significant geopolitical events unfolded. During the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian soldiers damaged the Sviatohirsk Lavra, a historic Orthodox pilgrimage site under the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. Russia escalated tensions by warning NATO that any future weapons shipments to Ukraine would be considered legitimate military targets. Simultaneously, Iran launched twelve ballistic missiles targeting the Iraqi city of Erbil in the Kurdistan Region, with explosions reported near the U.S. consulate and Erbil International Airport, further destabilizing the regional geopolitical landscape.
13 Mar 2022 Russian Airstrike Near Polish Border Kills 35: Russian warplanes struck a Ukrainian military base near the Polish border, killing 35 people and injuring over 100. Approximately 30 missiles were fired, with air defense systems intercepting 22 before impact. The base was reportedly used for weapons transfer and foreign fighter training.
14 Mar 2022 Zelensky Seeks Direct Negotiations with Putin: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian negotiators were tasked with arranging a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, indicating potential diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict.
15 Mar 2022 Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks Continue Amid Ongoing Conflict: Russia and Ukraine continued diplomatic negotiations while military confrontations persisted. A humanitarian corridor was established, allowing 160 civilian vehicles to escape the besieged city of Mariupol. International diplomatic efforts intensified, with leaders from Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovenia planning to visit Kyiv to show support for Ukraine.
16 Mar 2022 European Leaders Show Solidarity with Ukraine: In a bold diplomatic gesture, the prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia visited Kyiv to demonstrate support for Ukraine during the ongoing Russian invasion. Their visit was immediately followed by intensified Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital, underscoring the escalating tensions in the conflict.
17 Mar 2022 Nigerian President Addresses Infrastructure Challenges: Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari publicly apologized for the ongoing national infrastructure crisis, acknowledging significant disruptions in fuel supply and electricity distribution. The apology specifically addressed the comprehensive failure of the national electricity grid and the circulation of adulterated fuel, which had been causing substantial hardship for Nigerian citizens.
18 Mar 2022 Russian Missile Strike Devastates Ukrainian Military Barracks: A devastating Russian missile strike targeted a Ukrainian military barracks in Mykolaiv, killing at least 50 soldiers, with potentially more casualties buried under the rubble, demonstrating the intense military engagement in the conflict.
19 Mar 2022 Queensland Floods Expose Urban Planning Challenges: The devastating floods in Queensland raised significant concerns about urban planning strategies and the ethical responsibilities of city planners. The event highlighted critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, with passenger transportation services severely disrupted. Experts from the urban planning industry emphasized the need for more resilient and climate-adaptive design approaches to mitigate future environmental risks.
20 Mar 2022 Biden's European Diplomatic Mission During Ukraine Invasion: In a critical moment of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, President Biden traveled to Europe to demonstrate solidarity with NATO allies and address the escalating humanitarian crisis. Nearly a month into the Russian invasion, diplomatic efforts remained strained while civilian casualties mounted. The United Nations reported at least 847 confirmed civilian deaths and nearly 1,400 wounded, with experts believing the actual toll was significantly higher. Biden's trip aimed to coordinate international response, provide support for Ukraine, and present a unified Western stance against Russian aggression.
21 Mar 2022 China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 Crash: On March 21, 2022, China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 tragically crashed in the Guangxi region of China, resulting in the loss of all 132 people on board. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft plummeted from cruising altitude in a near-vertical descent, marking one of the deadliest aviation accidents in recent Chinese history. Investigators launched a comprehensive probe to determine the cause of this catastrophic incident.
22 Mar 2022 Russia Escalates Military Offensive in Ukraine: Russia intensified its military strikes against Ukrainian cities, causing significant destruction. In Kyiv, a once-bustling shopping mall was reduced to ruins. The strategic port city of Mariupol endured repeated airstrikes after Ukrainian authorities rejected Russia's surrender ultimatum, highlighting the ongoing brutal conflict.
23 Mar 2022 US Officially Declares Russian Actions in Ukraine as War Crimes: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a formal declaration that members of the Russian armed forces had committed war crimes during their invasion of Ukraine. This significant diplomatic statement escalated international condemnation of Russia's military actions and potentially set the stage for future legal proceedings.
24 Mar 2022 U.S. Formally Accuses Russia of War Crimes in Ukraine: On March 24, 2022, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken formally accused Russian military forces of committing war crimes during the invasion of Ukraine. Blinken emphasized the need to hold responsible parties accountable for atrocities, including deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and schools. President Biden had previously labeled Russian President Vladimir Putin a 'war criminal', though Blinken's statement did not specifically name Putin. As part of the diplomatic response, Biden traveled to Brussels to meet with NATO and European Union leaders, aiming to coordinate tougher sanctions against Russia. The planned sanctions included targeting over 300 members of Russia's State Duma, and discussions about deploying additional NATO forces along Eastern Europe's borders to prevent potential escalation of the conflict.
25 Mar 2022 Lance 'Buddy' Franklin Reaches 1,000 Career Goals Milestone: In a historic moment for Australian Rules Football, Sydney Swans forward Lance 'Buddy' Franklin achieved a remarkable feat by becoming only the 6th player in VFL/AFL history to kick 1,000 career goals. During the match against Geelong at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Franklin scored 4 goals, helping his team secure a decisive victory with a final score of 107-77.
26 Mar 2022 Will Smith Slaps Chris Rock at 94th Academy Awards: During the 94th Academy Awards ceremony, actor Will Smith walked onto the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia. The incident occurred shortly before Smith won the Best Actor award for his role in 'King Richard'. The unexpected altercation shocked the audience and became a major media controversy, leading to Smith's subsequent resignation from the Academy and a 10-year ban from attending Academy events.
27 Mar 2022 Shanghai COVID-19 Lockdown Announcement: Chinese authorities announced a comprehensive nine-day lockdown of Shanghai, affecting approximately 25 million residents, to conduct extensive COVID-19 testing. This massive public health intervention represented a significant implementation of China's zero-COVID strategy.
28 Mar 2022 Russo-Ukrainian War Continues with Intense Battles: The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War saw significant military engagements, including the Kyiv offensive, the Battle of Irpin, and the Northeastern Ukraine offensive. Ukrainian forces successfully recaptured Irpin, while Russian artillery caused civilian casualties by damaging a school in Kharkiv and shelling Rubizhne in Luhansk Oblast, resulting in one confirmed death.
29 Mar 2022 Russia Withdraws Forces from Kyiv: In a significant strategic development, Russia announces its withdrawal of military forces from around Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. This marks a major victory for Ukrainian forces, who successfully defended their capital against Russian invasion attempts.
30 Mar 2022 Ukrainian Refugee Crisis Reaches Four Million Displaced: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported a massive humanitarian crisis, with over four million Ukrainians forced to flee their country since the Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022. This unprecedented displacement represents one of the largest refugee movements in recent European history.
31 Mar 2022 US Announces Strategic Oil Reserve Release: In response to global energy market disruptions, the United States government announced a significant intervention by releasing 1 million barrels of oil per day from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for six months. This decision aimed to stabilize oil prices and mitigate economic pressures caused by geopolitical tensions, particularly the Russia-Ukraine conflict.