On This Day — 21 February

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.

Prelude to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

2013

At least 17 people are killed and 119 injured following several bombings in the Indian city of Hyderabad.

2013 Hyderabad blasts

1995

Steve Fossett lands in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada becoming the first person to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon.

Steve Fossett

1994

Aldrich Ames is arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for selling national secrets to the Soviet Union in Arlington County, Virginia.

Aldrich Ames

1974

The last Israeli soldiers leave the west bank of the Suez Canal pursuant to a truce with Egypt.

Suez Canal

1973

Over the Sinai Desert, Israeli fighter aircraft shoot down Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 jet killing 108 people.

Sinai Peninsula

1972

United States President Richard Nixon visits China to normalize Sino-American relations.

Richard Nixon

1972

The Soviet uncrewed spaceship Luna 20 lands on the Moon.

Soviet Union

1971

The Convention on Psychotropic Substances is signed at Vienna.

Convention on Psychotropic Substances

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.

Peace symbols

1952

The British government, under Winston Churchill, abolishes identity cards in the UK to "set the people free".

Winston Churchill

1952

The Bengali language movement protests occur at the University of Dhaka in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

Bengali language movement

1948

NASCAR is incorporated.

NASCAR

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.

Edwin H. Land

1945

World War II: During the Battle of Iwo Jima, Japanese kamikaze planes sink the escort carrier USS Bismarck Sea and damage the USS Saratoga.

World War II

1945

World War II: the Brazilian Expeditionary Force defeat the German forces in the Battle of Monte Castello on the Italian front.

Brazilian Expeditionary Force

1937

The League of Nations bans foreign national "volunteers" in the Spanish Civil War.

League of Nations

1929

In the first battle of the Warlord Rebellion in northeastern Shandong against the Nationalist government of China, a 24,000-strong rebel force led by Zhang Zongchang was defeated at Zhifu by 7,000 NRA troops.

Warlord Rebellion in northeastern Shandong

1925

The New Yorker publishes its first issue.

The New Yorker

1921

Constituent Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Georgia adopts the country's first constitution.

Constituent Assembly of Georgia

1921

Rezā Shāh takes control of Tehran during a successful coup.

Reza Shah

1919

German socialist Kurt Eisner is assassinated. His death results in the establishment of the Bavarian Soviet Republic and parliament and government fleeing Munich, Germany.

Kurt Eisner

1918

The last Carolina parakeet dies in captivity at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Carolina parakeet

1916

World War I: In France, the Battle of Verdun begins.

World War I

1913

Ioannina is incorporated into the Greek state after the Balkan Wars.

Ioannina

1896

An Englishman raised in Australia, Bob Fitzsimmons, fights an Irishman, Peter Maher, in an American promoted event which technically takes place in Mexico, winning the 1896 World Heavyweight Championship in boxing.

Bob Fitzsimmons

1885

The newly completed Washington Monument is dedicated.

Washington Monument

1878

The first telephone directory is issued in New Haven, Connecticut.

Telephone directory

1874

The Oakland Daily Tribune publishes its first edition.

Oakland Tribune

1862

American Civil War: Battle of Valverde is fought near Fort Craig in New Mexico Territory.

American Civil War

1861

Mariehamn, the capital city of Åland, is founded.

Mariehamn

1848

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish The Communist Manifesto.

Karl Marx

1842

John Greenough is granted the first U.S. patent for the sewing machine.

Sewing machine

1828

Initial issue of the Cherokee Phoenix is the first periodical to use the Cherokee syllabary invented by Sequoyah.

Cherokee Phoenix

1808

Without a previous declaration of war, Russian troops cross the border to Sweden at Abborfors in eastern Finland, thus beginning the Finnish War, in which Sweden will lose the eastern half of the country (i.e. Finland) to Russia.

Ahvenkoski

1804

The first self-propelling steam locomotive makes its outing at the Pen-y-Darren Ironworks in Wales.

Steam locomotive

1797

A force of 1,400 French soldiers invade Britain at Fishguard in support of the Society of United Irishmen. They were defeated by 500 British reservists.

Battle of Fishguard

1613

Mikhail I is unanimously elected Tsar by a national assembly, beginning the Romanov dynasty of Imperial Russia.

Michael of Russia

1440

The Prussian Confederation is formed.

Prussian Confederation

1245

Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland, is granted resignation after confessing to torture and forgery.

Thomas (bishop of Finland)