Ukraine's Zelenskyy says Russia has the initiative in the east but new Western aid is on the way

POKROVSK, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday his country's army is facing “a really difficult situation” in eastern regions where troops are battling to hold at bay an intense Russian push along parts of the front line.

Russia has sought to exploit Ukraine's shortages of ammunition and manpower as the flow of Western supplies since the outbreak of the war petered out, assembling large troop concentrations in the east as well as in the north and gaining an edge on the battlefield, Zelenskyy said.

But a massive new U.S. military aid package is coming, and it will turn the tide, he said at a news conference in Kyiv with visiting President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola.

“With an increase in the supply of weapons, we will be able to stop them in the east. As of now, they seized the initiative there,” Zelenskyy said.

Russia is pressing hard in parts of eastern Ukraine in an effort to drive deeper into the Donetsk region, which it partly occupies. The Ukrainian army is on the back foot, scrambling to build fortified defensive lines, and engaged in intense combat.

Ukraine’s forces are outnumbered in infantry, armor and ammunition against Russia’s bigger army and are trying to limit the Kremlin’s forces to incremental gains.

A Ukrainian brigade recently deployed near Pokrovsk, a town of around 60,000 people before the war, to help stop the creeping Russian advance. Pokrovsk was until recently a two-hour drive from the front line. Now it is less than half that.

Soldiers said the Russians usually shelled Ukrainian positions around dawn before sending in waves of small infantry units. The attackers seek to gain footholds and quickly dig in to consolidate their limited advance.

“They constantly try to breach our lines with their personnel … to get through somewhere, to crawl in, to hold any positions for at least a minute,” said one soldier, who gave only his call sign “Prorok” in line with brigade protocols.

“But we are trying to inflict fire damage while they are still approaching our positions,” he told The Associated Press. “Once they reach our positions, our personnel inflict maximum damage on them with small arms fire.”

AP video from the area shows Ukrainian infantry bodycam footage of troops attacking through trees and thick undergrowth, aiming to deny the advancing Russians a foothold. Both attackers and defenders take advantage of tree lines for cover.

The Russian goal, according to Ukrainian intelligence, is to secure the battered small town of Ocheretyne and reach the main Pokrovsk-Kostiantynivka road, severing a key Ukrainian line of communication with other front-line towns.

Ocheretyne lies northwest of Avdiivka, a city whose capture opened a door for the Kremlin’s troops to push westward, deeper into Donetsk. Russia annexed Donetsk and three other regions illegally in 2022 shortly after it invaded Ukraine, and taking control of all of Donetsk is one of the Kremlin's main war goals.

After Avdiivka’s fall at the end of February, Russia took other local villages as the country’s army chief warned of a worsening battlefield situation.

Russian troops have stepped up their efforts to advance in areas near Ocheretyne, launching 45 ground attacks over the previous 24 hours, Ukraine’s General Staff said Thursday. On most recent days, they have conducted 20-35 attacks a day.

Russian attacks in eastern Ukraine increased by 17% from March to April, the U.K. Defense Ministry said Thursday. Despite the attacking effort, the Kremlin’s forces have made only minor gains and sustained heavy losses, it added.

Near Marinka, one of Donetsk’s devastated towns, soldiers with Ukraine’s 148th separate artillery brigade fire an M777 howitzer toward Russian positions — and get little rest.

“Sometimes we sleep 5-6 hours a day in total, sometimes we get up and shoot every hour,” says one of the soldiers, whose call sign is “Odesa.”

Even so, the Russians keep coming. “They are advancing and every day, little by little, but successfully,” he says.

In other developments:

— Ukraine’s Parliament has approved a bill that offers parole for convicts who enlist for military service, as the country seeks to replenish its depleted ranks. The bill approved Wednesday covers only certain categories of convicts. It will be subject to further discussion in Parliament before going to the president who decides whether to sign it into law. Russia has also used prisoners to make up a manpower shortage.

— Meanwhile, Zelenskyy formally appointed Ukraine’s former army chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the country’s ambassador to Britain. Zelenskyy replaced Zaluzhnyi in February in an apparent effort to give new momentum to Ukraine’s fight.

— Also, the governor of Russia’s Bashkortostan region said a drone strike in the city of Salavat caused a fire at a petrochemical facility. Salavat lies about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) from the nearest point of the Ukraine border, making it possibly the deepest Ukrainian strike yet into Russia. Kyiv officials made no comment about the strike.

Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine.

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

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, hands the Ukrainian state award to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola before their press conference in Kyiv Ukraine, Thursday, May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

A Ukrainian serviceman Dmtro of 148th separate artillery brigade of the Air Assault Forces runs to catch a Furia drone landing by a parachute at the frontline in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

A Ukrainian serviceman Dmytro of 148th separate artillery brigade of the Air Assault Forces prepares to launch a Furia drone at the frontline in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Ukrainian servicemen Anatolii and Dmytro of 148th separate artillery brigade of the Air Assault Forces correct fire during flight over Russian positions by a Furia drone at the frontline in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

A Ukrainian serviceman Dmytro of 148th separate artillery brigade of the Air Assault Forces carries a Furia drone after landing by a parachute at the frontline in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Ukrainian serviceman Andrii, left, of the Air Assault Forces 148th separate artillery brigade, sends receiving coordinates for a Furia drone at the frontline in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

MIAMI (AP) — Harrison Bader and Tyrone Taylor each drove in two runs in a four-run first inning, star closer Edwin Díaz was not used in a save situation and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Sunday for just their second win in seven games.

Brandon Nimmo homered and Francisco Lindor singled twice following a 1-for-27 skid as the Mets rebounded from blowing a four-run, ninth-inning lead on Saturday and avoided a three-game sweep. New York stopped Miami’s four-game winning streak.

“You’re not defined by what you do the day before. You’re defined by how you get up from adversity,” Lindor said. “We wanted this one for sure. I think it’s important to win after a tough loss like that.”

Sean Manaea (3-1) allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. Sean Reid-Foley and Jake Diekman pitched an inning each, and Reed Garrett got his second save by allowing one hit over two innings with four strikeouts in a 34-pitch outing.

Díaz has a 10.80 ERA over his last eight appearances after serving up four homers in 8 1/3 innings. He has blown three of his last four save chances.

“We all believe in him. We all know he’s going to be back,” Garrett said. “Whenever my name’s called, I’ll pitch, but I know as a collective unit we all believe in Edwin and we know what he can do.”

New York (21-25) had dropped five games under .500 on Saturday for the first time since an 0-5 start.

“Not an easy weekend, not the way we expected, but we just have to continue to move forward,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Today was a huge win for us.”

With New York ahead 4-3, Nimmo hit a two-run homer off Anthony Bender in a three-run ninth that included Brett Baty’s RBI single.

“I was just looking for a good pitch in the middle of the plate to drive,” Nimmo said. “I was able to hit that ball — good launch angle — and hit it hard. Found its way out of the ballpark.”

Nimmo returned to the lineup Saturday after missing two games because of a stomach illness.

“I’m coming around,” Nimmo said. “It’s been a little bit of a journey the last three days to get over the sickness. Right now, I’m just trying to get some appetite back. I’m definitely not at 100%. Just trying to battle through it and glad that I was able to help out there at the end and solidify the win.”

Dane Myers hit a two-run homer in the second, and Christian Bethancourt had a solo drive in the seventh against DIekman.

Sixto Sánchez (0-2) allowed four runs and six hits in four innings. He gave up Taylor’s two-out double in the first and Bader’s single.

“He was obviously better second through the fourth inning but he put us in a hole early,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “At this level it’s hard to come back from four runs every single time. He’s not giving his teammates a chance to win.”

Miami recalled right-handed reliever Emmanuel Ramirez from Jacksonville and optioned right-handed reliever Anthony Maldonado to the Triple-A farm team.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: DH J.D. Martinez (flu symptoms) didn’t play but was available to pinch hit. Mendoza said Martinez played through the illness the prior two days.

Marlins: INF Tim Anderson (lower back tightness) homered and had three singles in five at-bats during a rehab game with Jacksonville on Saturday, then went 0 for 4 with a walk on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Tylor Megill (0-1, 2.25) will start the opener of a three-game series at Cleveland on Monday. RHP Ben Lively (2-2, 3.06) will start for the Guardians.

Marlins: LHP Ryan Weathers (2-4, 3.81) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game home series against Milwaukee on Monday. The Brewers will go with RHP Joe Ross (2-4, 4.61).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets' Sean Manaea delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) and Francisco Lindor (12) congratulate each other after they scored on a double by Tyrone Taylor, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader is unable to catch a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell for a double, during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Miami Marlins third base Emmanuel Rivera, right, tags out New York Mets' Harrison Bader as he slides into third base during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader (44) catches a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell as both he and left fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) vie for the ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets relief pitcher Reed Garrett, right, and catcher Omar Narvaez celebrate after the Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3, during a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)