What happened February 2022 AD

On 18 February, the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics ordered all civilians to leave their capitals, although observers noted that full evacuations would take months.

On 21 February, the head of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said that Russian forces had killed five Ukrainian "saboteurs" that crossed into Russian territory, capturing one Ukrainian serviceman and destroying two armoured vehicles.

On 21 February, Putin announced that the Russian government would recognise the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics.

On 21 February 2022, Russia officially recognized the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, as independent states, and deployed troops to Donbas, in a move interpreted as Russia's effective withdrawal from the Minsk Protocol.

On 22 February, video footages shot in the early morning shown Russian armed forces and tanks moving in the Donbas region.

Shortly before 06:00 Moscow Time (UTC+3) on 24 February, Putin announced that he had made the decision to launch a "special military operation" in eastern Ukraine. Russian troops entered Ukraine from the north in Belarus (towards Kyiv); from the northeast in Russia (towards Kharkiv); from the east in the DPR and the Luhansk People's Republic; and from the south in Crimea.

Antonov Airport in Hostomel, Kyiv Oblast was attacked on 24 February 2022 during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine due to its strategic value as a potential air bridge for Russian troops. The attack intensified into a battle for control of the airport in which fighting continued until the next day, resulting in a Russian victory.

Russian forces were invading via land near the city of Kharkiv and large-scale amphibious landings were reported in the city of Mariupol.

Snake Island, a Ukrainian island in the Black Sea, was attacked on 24 February 2022 during the early stages of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Battle of Okhtyrka is a military engagement, which began on 24 February 2022, during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, as part of the Northeastern Ukraine offensive, in the city of Okhtyrka, which is dubbed the oil capital of Ukraine, located near the Russia-Ukraine border.

The Battle of Konotop was a military engagement that took place around the city of Konotop, Ukraine between the military forces of Russia and Ukraine as part of the Northeastern Ukraine offensive during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Battle of Kyiv is a military battle that began on 25 February 2022, as part of the Kyiv offensive in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine for control of Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine.

The Battle of Volnovakha was a military engagement which lasted from 25 February 2022 until 12 March 2022, as part of the Eastern Ukraine offensive during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

After the 25 February UN Security Council meeting, Stoltenberg announced that parts of the NATO Response Force would be deployed, for the first time ever, to NATO members along the eastern border.

On 25 February 2022, the Russian air base in Millerovo, Rostov Oblast, Russia was attacked by Ukrainian forces during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to some Ukrainian officials, Ukrainian military forces attacked the Millerovo air base with OTR-21 Tochka missiles, destroying Russian Air Force planes and setting the airbase on fire.

On 26 February 2022, Ukrainian authorities announced that the civilian search and rescue ship Sapphire was captured by the Russian navy off Snake Island.

In February 2020, Bezos purchased the Warner Estate from David Geffen for $165 million, a record price paid for a residence in the Los Angeles area.