Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – April 27, 2022

Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments around the world.

Russia and Belarus are conducting a four-day joint military exercise that is scheduled to run until April 29.

Ukraine "clearly believes" it can win the war against Russia, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Tuesday.

The UN refugee agency on Tuesday projected that the number of people fleeing the war in Ukraine will soar to 8.3 million by the end of this year.

Turkiye's president in a phone call Tuesday with his Russian counterpart reiterated Ankara's willingness to keep doing its part for lasting peace with Ukraine and urged Vladimir Putin to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that he has arrived in Russia to do "everything" possible to end the war in Ukraine.

Moscow stands for a solution through peace talks with Ukraine, but Kyiv shows no interest in them, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday.

It is "entirely legitimate" for Ukraine to hit military targets within Russia using Western-supplied weapons, a top British defense official said Tuesday.

Russian energy firm Gazprom has informed Poland and Bulgaria that it will stop supplying gas to the two countries as of Wednesday.

The UN General Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution requiring permanent members of the Security Council to come before the assembly to provide an explanation should they exercise their veto powers.

At least four people, including three Chinese nationals, were killed in an explosion inside the premises of a state-run university in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Tuesday, police and rescue officials said.

The Security Council of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq said Tuesday that it thwarted a "dangerous plot" by the PKK terror group and seized a large amount of explosives and military equipment.

US Vice President Kamala Harris has tested positive for COVID-19, her office announced on Tuesday.

Turkiye on Tuesday removed the requirement of wearing face masks in all closed areas, which has been a part of COVID-19 measures in the country, except for public transportation vehicles and medical institutions.

Manchester City defeated Real Madrid 4-3 in a UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg match Tuesday.

The British government announced Tuesday the removal of all tariffs covered by the existing UK-Ukraine trade agreement and imposed fresh sanctions on the Russian economy.

The German government has approved the delivery of Gepard anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said Tuesday.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it summoned Sweden's ambassador, Malena Mard, and handed her a note about the expulsion of three Swedish diplomats from Moscow.

The US is seeking to ensure that Russia cannot "bully" its neighbors following its assault on Ukraine, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Tuesday.

China said Tuesday that no one wants the Russia-Ukraine conflict to turn into World War III.

Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed "in principle" to the UN-facilitated withdraw of civilians from a steel plant in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, the international body said Tuesday. -