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NATO chief chides members as Ukraine’s allies say slow arms deliveries have helped Russia

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NATO chief chides members as Ukraine’s allies say slow arms deliveries have helped Russia
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NATO chief chides members as Ukraine’s allies say slow arms deliveries have helped Russia

2024-04-30 10:37 Last Updated At:10:41

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO countries haven’t delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, the alliance’s chief said Monday, allowing Russia to press its advantage while Kyiv’s depleted forces wait for military supplies to arrive from the U.S. and Europe.

"Serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield” for Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference in Kyiv with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits a photo exhibition dedicated to the sacrifices of the Russian occupation of the town in Saint Andrew's Church in Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO countries haven’t delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, the alliance’s chief said Monday, allowing Russia to press its advantage while Kyiv’s depleted forces wait for military supplies to arrive from the U.S. and Europe.

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the Romanivska Bridge in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the Romanivska Bridge in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits Saint Andrew's Church in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits Saint Andrew's Church in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, meets with children as she visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, meets with children as she visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, meets with children as she visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, meets with children as she visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine Martin Harris, right, visit the memorial to the victims of the Russian occupation in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine Martin Harris, right, visit the memorial to the victims of the Russian occupation in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the memorial to the victims of the Russian occupation in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the memorial to the victims of the Russian occupation in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

In this photo provided by the Odesa Regional Administration, city officials examine a fragment of a missile after the Russian missile attack that killed several people, and wounded multiple others in Odessa, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Odesa Regional Administration via AP)

In this photo provided by the Odesa Regional Administration, city officials examine a fragment of a missile after the Russian missile attack that killed several people, and wounded multiple others in Odessa, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Odesa Regional Administration via AP)

A building of the Odessa Law Academy is on fire after a Russian missile attack in Odessa, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Victor Sajenko)

A building of the Odessa Law Academy is on fire after a Russian missile attack in Odessa, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Victor Sajenko)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, right, with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, right, with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, center, visits the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, center, visits the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, second right, the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, right, and Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine, Martin Harris visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, second right, the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, right, and Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine, Martin Harris visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, second right, and Martin Harris, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine, right, visit the UNFPA office in Kyiv to meet with war victims, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, second right, and Martin Harris, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine, right, visit the UNFPA office in Kyiv to meet with war victims, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, left, with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, left, with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center right, talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, centre left, during their meeting in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center right, talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, centre left, during their meeting in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Two women walk along a street in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Two women walk along a street in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

A woman sells toys in front of a building with windows protected by sandbags in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

A woman sells toys in front of a building with windows protected by sandbags in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talks during his joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talks during his joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talks during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talks during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg walk before their press conference in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg walk before their press conference in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Outgunned, Ukraine’s troops have struggled to fend off Russian advances on the battlefield. They were recently compelled to make a tactical retreat from three villages in the east, where the Kremlin's forces have been making incremental gains, Ukraine's army chief said Sunday. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Monday its forces had also taken the village of Semenivka.

“The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line. Lack of air defense has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces,” Stoltenberg said.

Kyiv’s Western partners have repeatedly vowed to stand with Ukraine “for as long as it takes.” But vital U.S. military help was held up for six months by political differences in Washington, and Europe’s military hardware production has not kept up with demand. Ukraine’s own manufacturing of heavy weapons is only now starting to gain traction.

Now, Ukraine and its Western partners are racing to deploy critical new military aid that can help check the slow and costly but steady Russian advance across eastern areas, as well as thwart drone and missile attacks.

Zelenskyy said new Western supplies have started arriving, but slowly. "This process must be speeded up,” he said at the news conference with Stoltenberg.

Though the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line has shifted little since early in the war, the Kremlin’s forces in recent weeks have edged forward, especially in the Donetsk region, with sheer numbers and massive firepower used to bludgeon defensive positions.

Russia also continues to launch missiles, drones and bombs at cities across Ukraine. At least four people were killed and 27 injured in a Russian missile strike on residential buildings and “civil infrastructure” in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Monday, regional governor Oleh Kiper said on the Telegram messaging site.

A turreted Gothic-style building known locally as the “Harry Potter Castle,” was seen in flames after the strike.

Russia is a far bigger country than Ukraine, with greater resources. It has also received weapons support from Iran and North Korea, the U.S. government says.

Drawn-out Ukrainian efforts to mobilize more troops, and the belated building of battlefield fortifications, are other factors undermining Ukraine’s war effort, military analysts say.

Nick Reynolds, a research fellow for land warfare at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, said the war “is still largely an artillery duel.”

He said he did not expect to see major movement of the front lines in the near term, but that “the conditions are being set for which side has military advantage at the front line. The Russian military is in a better position at the moment.

“When we see one side or the other being in a position to move the front line, at some stage, maneuver will be restored to the battlefield. Not in the next few weeks, maybe not even in the next few months. But it will happen,” he told The Associated Press.

Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh, at a briefing with reporters Monday, also acknowledged Russia’s recent battlefield gains, noting that a delay in congressional approval for additional spending “set the Ukrainians back.”

NATO chief Stoltenberg, however, said more weapons and ammunition for Ukraine are on the way, including Patriot missile systems to defend against heavy Russian barrages that smash into the power grid and urban areas.

Ukrainian officials say Russia is assembling forces for a major summer offensive, even if its troops are making only incremental gains at the moment.

“Russian forces remain unlikely to achieve a deeper operationally significant penetration in the area in the near term,” the Institute for the Study of War said in an assessment Sunday.

Even so, the Kremlin’s forces are closing in on the strategically important hilltop town of Chasiv Yar, whose capture would be an important step forward into the Donetsk region.

Donetsk and Luhansk form much of the industrial Donbas region, which has been gripped by separatist fighting since 2014, and which Putin has set as a primary objective of the Russian invasion. Russia illegally annexed areas of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions in September 2022.

In other developments, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh made an unannounced visit to Ukraine – the first British royal to travel to the country since Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Buckingham Palace said Monday that Sophie, wife of Prince Edward, met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska in Kyiv and delivered a message on behalf of King Charles III. It did not disclose the timing or details of the visit.

The palace said Sophie, 59, made the trip “to demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war and in a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.”

Associated Press writer Tara Copp in Washington contributed reporting.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits a photo exhibition dedicated to the sacrifices of the Russian occupation of the town in Saint Andrew's Church in Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits a photo exhibition dedicated to the sacrifices of the Russian occupation of the town in Saint Andrew's Church in Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the Romanivska Bridge in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the Romanivska Bridge in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits Saint Andrew's Church in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits Saint Andrew's Church in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, meets with children as she visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, meets with children as she visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, meets with children as she visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, meets with children as she visits the Family center of the NGO "Save Ukraine" in the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine Martin Harris, right, visit the memorial to the victims of the Russian occupation in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine Martin Harris, right, visit the memorial to the victims of the Russian occupation in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the memorial to the victims of the Russian occupation in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visits the memorial to the victims of the Russian occupation in the town of Bucha, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

In this photo provided by the Odesa Regional Administration, city officials examine a fragment of a missile after the Russian missile attack that killed several people, and wounded multiple others in Odessa, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Odesa Regional Administration via AP)

In this photo provided by the Odesa Regional Administration, city officials examine a fragment of a missile after the Russian missile attack that killed several people, and wounded multiple others in Odessa, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Odesa Regional Administration via AP)

A building of the Odessa Law Academy is on fire after a Russian missile attack in Odessa, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Victor Sajenko)

A building of the Odessa Law Academy is on fire after a Russian missile attack in Odessa, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Victor Sajenko)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, right, with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, right, with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, center, visits the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, center, visits the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, second right, the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, right, and Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine, Martin Harris visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, second right, the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, right, and Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine, Martin Harris visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, second right, and Martin Harris, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine, right, visit the UNFPA office in Kyiv to meet with war victims, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, second right, and Martin Harris, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine, right, visit the UNFPA office in Kyiv to meet with war victims, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, left, with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie, left, with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Monday April 29, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/Pool via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center right, talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, centre left, during their meeting in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center right, talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, centre left, during their meeting in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Two women walk along a street in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Two women walk along a street in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

A woman sells toys in front of a building with windows protected by sandbags in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

A woman sells toys in front of a building with windows protected by sandbags in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talks during his joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talks during his joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talks during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talks during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg walk before their press conference in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, welcomes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg walk before their press conference in Kyiv Ukraine, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Police have said repeatedly in the aftermath of Maine’s deadliest shooting that officers thought the gunman’s family had been taking his weapons away.

Testifying before an investigative committee on Thursday, the gunman’s sister-in-law suggested that law enforcement officers should have known this wasn’t true, because she and her husband, Ryan Card, told a deputy on the phone a month before Robert Card killed 18 people that he still had access to weapons, despite his deteriorating mental health.

“My husband will always blame himself, even though it shouldn’t be blamed on him. He will always blame,” Katie Card said. “So I will, always."

The revelation came during the first public testimony from Card’s relatives. One after another spoke of frustrating attempts to get help, and offered emotional apologies to the victims and their family members.

The independent commission appointed by the governor already heard from police, victims and their families, and other Army reservists about the deadliest shooting in Maine history. Card, 40, killed himself after opening fire with an assault rifle inside a bowling alley and a bar and grill in Lewiston in October.

In the aftermath, the legislature passed new gun laws for Maine, a state with a long tradition of firearms ownership. Among other things, they bolstered the state’s “yellow flag” law, criminalized the transfer of guns to prohibited people and expanded funding for mental health crisis care.

Card’s family had kept a low profile after the tragedy, other than releasing a statement in March expressing deep sorrow and disclosing an analysis of Card’s brain tissue that showed evidence of traumatic brain injuries. Card had trained others in the use of hand grenades, and the family blamed the repeated blasts for his mental decline.

The commission issued an interim report in March saying law enforcement should have seized Card’s guns and put him in protective custody based on the warnings from family and reservists, using the existing yellow flag law. A full report is due this summer.

Police testified that the family had agreed to remove Card’s guns, but the commission said leaving such a task to them “was an abdication of law enforcement’s responsibility.”

Katie Card said Thursday that a deputy had applied pressure — to his brother Ryan in particular — to offer assurances that the guns were taken away so that the deputy could wrap up his investigation ahead of a two-week vacation. She said she and her husband “both expressed that day (to the deputy) and multiple times after that we had been unsuccessful.”

She said she and Ryan Card, whom she described as a retired Army ranger who is disabled after deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, remain wracked with guilt even though it was unfair for law enforcement to make estranged family members responsible for removing Card’s guns.

Other relatives also vented their frustrations, blaming the military, law enforcement and media coverage. James Herling, husband of the gunman’s sister, singled out the Army Reserves for declining to answer the phone or return their calls as they sought help. Card’s ex-wife, Cara Lamb, accused police of ignoring or dismissing warning signs.

Nicole Herling, the guman's sister, said military personnel deserve better protections: “It’s unjust to continue training with explosions and sonic booms until there are protective gear and standards ensuring the safety of all of our soldier’s brains.”

“This is not an excuse for the behavior or acts that Robbie committed,” James Herling testified. “It was a wrongful act of evil. My brother-in-law was not this man. His brain was hijacked.”

An Army spokesperson said Thursday that Army “is committed to understanding how brain health is affected and to implementing evidence-based risk mitigation and treatment” and that the Army this year is conducting cognitive assessments of trainees that can be repeated to identify changes.

As for the mass shooting, the Army Reserves and the Army inspector general are conducting separate investigations into the events and “more details may become available once the investigation is complete.”

Lamb said their teenage son was so concerned about Card’s growing paranoia and access to guns that she shared his worries with a school resource officer in May 2023. This should’ve been a “flashing sign that we have a problem here,” she said.

Fellow Army reservists witnessed Card’s deterioration, to the point that he was hospitalized for two weeks during training last summer. One reservist, Sean Hodgson, told superiors on Sept. 15: “I believe he’s going to snap and do a mass shooting.”

Lamb, for her part, said she herself encouraged officers not to confront her ex-husband for fear of escalation, and harm to her son’s relationship with his father, but now questions that approach.

“I keep wondering if the right thing to do would’ve been to say, ‘Damn it all, damn everyone’s feelings and repercussions,’ and go scream at the police — ‘What do we have to do?!’” she testified.

Sharp reported from Portland, Maine.

Cara Lamb, ex-wife of shooter Robert Card, testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Cara Lamb, ex-wife of shooter Robert Card, testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Cara Lamb, ex-wife of shooter Robert Card, is comforted as she testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Cara Lamb, ex-wife of shooter Robert Card, is comforted as she testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Nicole Herling, sister of shooter Robert Card, rests her hand on her brother's military helmet, while testifying, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Nicole Herling, sister of shooter Robert Card, rests her hand on her brother's military helmet, while testifying, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Cara Lamb, ex-wife of shooter Robert Card, testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Cara Lamb, ex-wife of shooter Robert Card, testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Nicole Herling, sister of shooter Robert Card, testifies Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Nicole Herling, sister of shooter Robert Card, testifies Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Members of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, listen as Nicole Herling, sister of shooter Robert Card, testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Members of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, listen as Nicole Herling, sister of shooter Robert Card, testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Nicole Herling, sister of shooter Robert Card, testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Nicole Herling, sister of shooter Robert Card, testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Cara Lamb, ex-wife of shooter Robert Card, testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Cara Lamb, ex-wife of shooter Robert Card, testifies, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

James Herling pauses his testimony while recalling the moment he realized the shooter was his brother-in-law, Robert Card, while testifying, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. Nicole Herling, sister of the shooter, cries on her husband's shoulder. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

James Herling pauses his testimony while recalling the moment he realized the shooter was his brother-in-law, Robert Card, while testifying, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. Nicole Herling, sister of the shooter, cries on her husband's shoulder. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

FILE - Community members look at a memorial outside Schemengees Bar & Grille about one week after a mass shooting, Nov. 3, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. An independent commission investigating the mass shooting that left 18 people dead in Maine is scheduled to hear from the family of the shooter, Robert Card, for the first time on Thursday, May 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

FILE - Community members look at a memorial outside Schemengees Bar & Grille about one week after a mass shooting, Nov. 3, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. An independent commission investigating the mass shooting that left 18 people dead in Maine is scheduled to hear from the family of the shooter, Robert Card, for the first time on Thursday, May 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

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