Ukraine updates: Kyiv hails West after Kherson liberated

Ukraine's foreign ministry on Saturday hailed its "joint victory" with the West in the wake of the Russian withdrawal from the city of Kherson.

"There were very few who believed that Ukraine would survive," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said as he met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit of Southeast Asian nations in Cambodia.

"This is coming, and our victory will be our joint victory — a victory of all peace-loving nations across the world."

Blinken hailed the "remarkable courage" of Ukraine's military and people, vowing that US support "will continue for as long as it takes" to defeat Russia.

Kherson is the first major urban hub to fall since Russian troops were ordered into Ukraine In February.

The UK described the defeat as "another strategic failure" for the Kremlin.

"Now with that also being surrendered, ordinary people of Russia must surely ask themselves: 'What was it all for?" British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said Saturday in a statement.

Here are the other main headlines from the war in Ukraine on Saturday, November 12:

Zelenskyy: Kherson critical infrastructure 'destroyed' 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces "destroyed" the critical infrastructure in the southern city of Kherson before fleeing.

In a video address, Zelenskyy said the damage included "communications, water, heat, electricity."

"(Russians) everywhere have the same goal: to humiliate people as much as possible. But we will restore everything, believe me," he continued.

Zelenskyy said Ukrainian troops had taken control of more than 60 settlements in the Kherson region.

He added that his forces were able to conduct successful operations in Kherson and elsewhere in part because of resistance in the Donetsk region in the face of repeated Russian attacks.

"There it is just hell — there are extremely fierce battles there every day," he said. "But our units are defending bravely — they are withstanding the terrible pressure of the invaders, preserving our defense lines."

Ukraine carries out 'stabilization measures' in Kherson

The Ukrainian military is in the midst of installing "stabilization measures" near Kherson after retaking the city.

In a social media update on Saturday, the General Staff of Kyiv's armed forces said Russian troops were fortifying their battle lines on the other side of the Dnieper river. Around 70% of the Kherson region is still under Russian control.

On Friday, Ukraine's intelligence agency said it thought some Russian soldiers stayed behind, dispensing with their uniforms for civilian clothes to avoid detection.

Meanwhile, Russian state news agencies reported Saturday that Moscow forces have moved their regional administrative center to the town of Henichesk, which lies in the very south-east of Kherson on the Sea of Azov, just a few dozen kilometers from the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014.

Report: Russian forces set to quit town near Dnipro River dam

Russian occupiers say they are preparing to clear out of the Ukrainian city of Nova Kakhovka, the site of a key dam on the Dnipro River.

Pavel Filipchuk, the head of the occupation government, said in a speech that administrators and residents of the city will be pulling back to a safe location, according to the TASS news agency. 

People within a 15-kilometer zone should be prepared to leave the city, he said as there are concerns the dam could be damaged by missiles, which would result in flooding. 

Both Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of planning such an event.

Filipchuk said people should be prepared to head to the southern Russian region of Krasnodar, where they will be sheltered and receive financial aid. 

Ukraine says this is a scheme to evict local residents.

Banksy showcases new mural in war-scarred Ukrainian town

Renowned street artist Banksy has unveiled his latest graffiti work — a mural of a girl gymnast performing a handstand on a small pile of concrete rubble in the Ukrainian town of Borodyanka.

The town one hour north of Kyiv was occupied by Russian forces until April and heavily damaged during the early days of Moscow's invasion.

After some speculation, Banksy posted a photo of the work on Instagram. The mural was painted onto the wall of a building destroyed by shelling.

mm, jsi/aw (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)