The U.S. Senate acquits President Donald Trump on February 5, 2020, of impeachment charges on both articles of impeachment – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress made by the House of Representatives in December 2019.
Browse Historical Events by Month:
What Happened in February?
Emperor ascensions, legendary battles, and assassinations. Discover what happened this month in history. Explore pivotal events from February that helped shape the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event.
We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using our Feedback link.
The World Health Organization officially names on February 11, 2020, the coronavirus disease as "COVID-19. The first case of COVID 19 .been confirmed on January 20, 2020, a day after 35-year-old man presented to an urgent care clinic in Snohomish County, Washington, with a 4-day history of cough and subjective fever. He disclosed that he had returned to Washington State on January 15 after traveling to visit family in Wuhan, China. More
Myanmar's military seizes power in a coup, on Februay 1, 2021, detaining civilian leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi.
The International Criminal Court's jurisdiction is formally extended on February 5, 2021 to investigate cover war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories. The decision allowed the prosecutor to investigate crimes committed from June 13, 2014, onwards, following Palestine's accession to the Rome Statute in 2015.
Myanmar experiences widespread internet shutdowns as the military government tightens control following the coup.
The U.S. Senate acquits former President Donald Trump on February 13, 2021, of an impeachment charge of inciting an insurrection. The acquittal comes more than a month after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers were counting the electoral results that certified Trump's loss.
Five people died in the riot, including a police officer. Two other officers later killed themselves. The Senate vote was 57 to 43 in favor of conviction including seven Republicans, but it was short of the two-thirds majority, or 67 votes, required to convict. It was the second time Trump was acquitted in an impeachment trial.
WHO approves the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine on February 15, 2021 for emergency use, aiding global vaccination efforts.
NASA's Mars rover, Perseverance, lands successfully on Mars, beginning its mission to search for signs of ancient life.
NASA's Perseverance rover successfully lands on Mars, beginning its mission to explore the planet's surface.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, initiating the largest land war in Europe since World War II. First announced by Vladimir Putin as a "special military operation", Russian forces attacked from multiple directions, including Belarus.
The conflict in its fourth year as of February 2026, has become a long, grinding war of attrition, with significant casualties and humanitarian crises, Independent estimates of casualties indicate more than 200,000 Russian troops have died, with total Russian casualties potentially reaching over 1 million. Civilian casualties remain high, with 2025 being a particularly deadly year. Russia still roughly 20% of Ukraine. The conflict has shifted to a war of attrition with heavy, slow, and costly Russian advances, notably in the Donbas region. The war has caused massive displacement, with millions of refugees fleeing Ukraine. Western nations, led by the US and EU, have provided hundreds of billions in aid to Ukraine although US support has been characterized by some, as sporadic since 2025. As of early 2026, the war continues with no immediate resolution in sight.