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February 21, 2022 (Monday)
2.7 minutes to read
Armed conflicts and attacks
Russian Armed Forces are deployed to the separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk for a "peacekeeping mission", shortly after Russia recognized the independence of the republics.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan states that the United States will rally the international community to hold Russia accountable should it invade Ukraine.
The European Union says it is prepared to issue sanctions against Russia if the country recognizes the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, breakaway regions of Ukraine that declared independence in 2014. Ukraine considers the quasi-states terrorist organizations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signs decrees recognising the independence of the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic with immediate effect. He also asks the parliament to ratify the treaties on friendship and mutual aid with the breakaway territories.
President Putin addresses the nation and declares that Ukraine is a country with "no tradition of independent statehood and an artificial creation of Soviet Union founder Vladimir Lenin", and that the country has become a "U.S. puppet regime rife with corruption". He also reiterates his claim that Ukraine joining NATO would be a security risk to Russia.
A senior U.S. official says Russian troops could move into the separatist regions of Ukraine by the end of the day.
The U.S. says it will impose sanctions on the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic in response to Putin recognizing their independence and sovereignty.
Separatist forces shell the village of Zaitseve, Donetsk Oblast, killing two Ukrainian soldiers and a civilian.
Business and economy
In response to yesterday's leak of client data from Credit Suisse, Switzerland's second largest bank, the EU's European Commission is asked to "re-evaluate Switzerland as a high-risk money-laundering country" by the European People's Party, which is the group with the largest number of seats in the European Parliament.
Disasters and accidents
Health and environment
South Korea surpasses 2 million COVID-19 cases.
South Africa changes their COVID-19 vaccination rules to allow mixing of vaccines between the Pfizer–BioNTech and Janssen COVID-19 vaccines for second and third doses and also reduces the interval between the second and third doses of the Pfizer vaccine in order to increase the country's vaccination rate.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says that he is lifting domestic coronavirus restrictions in England, including the legal requirement for people with COVID-19 to self-isolate, from February 24. As part of the plan, free self-testing will end by April 1.
Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh tested positive for COVID-19 while leading his country delegation in Cairo.
International relations
Morocco's trade minister, Ryad Mezzour, and Israel's economy minister, Orna Barbivai, sign a trade deal in Rabat.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin announces that China will sanction American defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon after the United States approved a US$100 million missile defense repair deal between the two companies and Taiwan.
Law and crime
The Constitutional Court decriminalizes abortion in all cases for up to six months of gestation, and removes time limits in cases of rape, fetal defects, or if the mother's life is in danger.
Politics and elections
Burkinabé President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba orders an inquiry into the deaths of two civilians during last month's coup d'état.
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