Summary of the Day ✨ 21 February (21/02)
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared independence for Ukrainian regions Luhansk and Donetsk before moving troops there, while in India, bombings in Hyderabad killed 17 and injured 119. Elsewhere, Steve Fossett completed the first solo Pacific balloon flight, spy Aldrich Ames was arrested for treason, and Watergate figures Mitchell, Haldeman, and Ehrlichman were sentenced to prison.
Historical Events 📜
- 2022: In the prelude to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin declares the Luhansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic as independent from Ukraine, and moves troops into the region. The action is condemned by the United Nations.
- 2013: At least 17 people are killed and 119 injured following several bombings in the Indian city of Hyderabad.
- 1995: Steve Fossett lands in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada becoming the first person to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon.
- 1994: Aldrich Ames is arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for selling national secrets to the Soviet Union in Arlington County, Virginia.
- 1975: Watergate scandal: Former United States Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman are sentenced to prison.
- 1974: The last Israeli soldiers leave the west bank of the Suez Canal pursuant to a truce with Egypt.
- 1973: Over the Sinai Desert, Israeli fighter aircraft shoot down Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 jet killing 108 people.
- 1972: United States President Richard Nixon visits China to normalize Sino-American relations.
- 1972: The Soviet uncrewed spaceship Luna 20 lands on the Moon.
- 1971: The Convention on Psychotropic Substances is signed at Vienna.
- 1958: The CND symbol, aka peace symbol, commissioned by the Direct Action Committee in protest against the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, is designed and completed by Gerald Holtom.
- 1952: The British government, under Winston Churchill, abolishes identity cards in the UK to “set the people free”.
- 1952: The Bengali language movement protests occur at the University of Dhaka in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
- 1948: NASCAR is incorporated.
- 1947: In New York City, Edwin Land demonstrates the first “instant camera”, the Polaroid Land Camera, to a meeting of the Optical Society of America.
Famous Births 👶
- 2007: Leeseo, South Korean singer
- 1999: Metawin Opas-iamkajorn, Thai actor and singer
- 1996: Noah Rubin, American tennis player
- 1996: Sophie Turner, English actress
- 1994: Tang Haochen, Chinese tennis player
- 1994: Hayley Orrantia, American actress and singer-songwriter
- 1994: Wendy, South Korean singer
- 1993: Steve Leo Beleck, Cameroonian footballer
- 1993: Davy Klaassen, Dutch footballer
- 1992: Phil Jones, English footballer
- 1991: Joe Alwyn, English actor
- 1991: Riyad Mahrez, Algerian footballer
- 1991: Ji So-yun, South Korean footballer
- 1991: Solar, South Korean singer, songwriter and actress
- 1991: Devon Travis, American baseball player
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2026: Rondale Moore, American football player (born 2000)
- 2025: Clint Hill, American Secret Service agent (born 1932)
- 2025: Lynne Marie Stewart, American actress (born 1946)
- 2024: John Bahnsen, United States Army brigadier general and decorated veteran of the Vietnam War (born 1934)
- 2021: Mireya Arboleda, Colombian classical pianist (born 1928)
- 2021: Kevin Dann, Australian rugby league player (born 1958)
- 2019: Stanley Donen, American film director (born 1924)
- 2019: Peter Tork, American musician and actor (born 1942)
- 2018: Billy Graham, American evangelist (born 1918)
- 2017: Jeanne Martin Cissé, Guinean teacher and politician (born 1926)
- 2016: Eric Brown, Scottish-English captain and pilot (born 1919)
- 2015: Aleksei Gubarev, Russian general, pilot, and astronaut (born 1931)
- 2015: Sadeq Tabatabaei, Iranian journalist and politician (born 1943)
- 2015: Clark Terry, American trumpet player, composer, and educator (born 1920)
- 2014: Héctor Maestri, Cuban-American baseball player (born 1935)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Armed Forces Day (South Africa)
- Birthday of King Harald V (Norway)
- Christian feast day:
Felix of Hadrumetum - Christian feast day:
Pepin of Landen - Christian feast day:
Peter Damian - Christian feast day:
Randoald of Grandval - Christian feast day:
February 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Father Lini Day (Vanuatu)
- Language Movement Day (Bangladesh)
- International Mother Language Day (UNESCO)
- The first day of the Birth Anniversary of Fifth Druk Gyalpo, celebrated until February 23. (Bhutan)
- The first day of the Musikahan Festival, celebrated until February 27. (Tagum City, Philippines)