Portal:Current events/2022 April 27

April 27, 2022 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Russo-Ukrainian War
- 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
  - Russia–United Kingdom relations
    - In a statement, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova says that "Russia can strike military targets on the territory of those NATO countries that supply arms to the Kiev regime" and "As far as I understand, Britain is one of those countries." (Mirror) (iNews)
    - British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab says that Russian threats to target Britain are "unlawful" and are only adding to the "pariah status" of Vladimir Putin's regime. (Sky News)
    - UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss states that Russian forces must be pushed out of "the whole of Ukraine" including territory Russia captured eight years ago, in what the BBC describes as "the clearest statement yet of Britain's war aims". (BBC News)
  - Southern Ukraine offensive, Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast
    - The Ukrainian Air Force strikes the Kherson TV Tower with a missile temporarily forcing Russian television off-air in the occupied Kherson Oblast. (Canadian Press via Yahoo News)
  - Russia says that it has struck 59 Ukrainian weapon facilities during the night, including a depot in Zaporizhzhia Oblast which is being used to store weapons from the United States and Europe. (Reuters)
  - Russia says that its air defences have shot down a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle over the Kursk Oblast, while several explosions and a fire at an ammunition depot are reported in Belgorod Oblast. Ukraine describes the explosions in Russia as "payback" and "karma" for Moscow's invasion. (Reuters)
Transnistria conflict
- 2022 Transnistria attacks, 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
  - Transnistrian authorities say that several UAVs originating from the direction of Ukraine have been spotted near the Cobasna ammunition depot. However, this claim cannot be independently verified. (RFE/RL)
Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war
- Four Syrian soldiers are killed during airstrikes in Damascus launched by Israel at an Iranian-linked ammunition depot. (AP) (Al Jazeera)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- An armed Palestinian teenager is killed and three more are injured as Israeli soldiers raid a refugee camp in Jenin in an operation to arrest suspects involved in prior terror attacks in Israel. Fifteen others are arrested during raids in other parts of the West Bank. (Al Jazeera) (Ynetnews)

Arts and culture

Decommunization in Ukraine
- The 27-foot Soviet-era bronze statue under the People's Friendship Arch in Kyiv, representing Russian–Ukrainian friendship, is removed by order of Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko. (NDTV)
Prince Andrew, Duke of York is stripped of his Freedom of the City of York following an unanimous vote by city councillors. The council also calls on the Prince to relinquish his title as Duke of York. (BBC News)

Business and economy

Russia in the European energy sector
- 2022 Russia–European Union gas dispute
  - Gazprom announces that it has "completely suspended gas supplies" to the gas companies of Poland and Bulgaria "due to [the] absence of payments in roubles". Bulgaria, Poland, and the European Union condemn the suspension. (Reuters) (Reuters)
  - The suspension of gas to Poland and Bulgaria causes natural gas prices to increase and also causes the Russian ruble to reach a 2 year high against the Euro in Moscow trade. (Reuters) (Reuters) (Natural Gas Intelligence)
The European Commission proposes lifting all tariffs for Ukrainian produce not covered by the European Union–Ukraine Association Agreement for one year, while easing trade conditions for other goods. The temporary suspension will need to be approved by the European Parliament and the member states. (Reuters)
The Central African Republic adopts bitcoin as legal tender, after its legislature unanimously approved the law. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

2020–22 North American drought
- The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, servicing most of Greater Los Angeles, declares a water shortage emergency and requires agencies to enforce restrictions on non-essential water usage as of June 1. This comes amid a drought which worsened as the 2021–22 California winter season was the driest on record. (AP)
A chariot in a Hindu religious procession strikes an overhead power line leading to several electrocutions and a fire resulting in eleven deaths and over a dozen injuries in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. (Reuters)
Five people are killed in a traffic collision in Armstrong County, Texas. (Newschannel10)

International relations

Russo-Ukrainian War
- International sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War
  - Russia–United Kingdom relations
    - Russia imposes sanctions on 287 members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in response to sanctions on members of its State Duma. Senior cabinet ministers and House Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle are among those sanctioned. (BBC News)
- Government and intergovernmental reactions to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
  - Russia announces its withdrawal from the World Tourism Organization ahead of a vote on its suspension from the UN specialized agency. (RFE/RL)
Russia–United States relations
- American Marine Trevor Reed and Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko are freed in a prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States. (AP)

Law and crime

Three people are killed in a mass shooting in Biloxi, Mississippi. The shooter is later killed in a standoff with police. (ABC News)
The Peruvian government declares a state of emergency at Las Bambas copper mine after a week of camping by indigenous people. The government suspends civil liberties, including the right of assembly and protest. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast
  - Oleksandr Kobets is appointed as the de facto mayor of the city of Kherson, which has been occupied by Russian forces since March 2. (Ukrinform)

Science and technology

2021 Atlantic hurricane season
- The World Meteorological Organization announces that Hurricane Ida will be retired from the list of Atlantic hurricane names after causing $75 billion in damage in the U.S. and killing 55 people in Louisiana, making Ida the 12th hurricane beginning with the letter I to do so. Ida will be replaced by Imani for the 2027 season. (AP) (WeatherNation TV)