Live Ukraine updates: Famed Russian analyst Dugin back in Putin fold - USA TODAY

A Russian ultranationalist connected Sunday walked backmost crisp disapproval of President Vladimir Putin aft issuing a acheronian informing for the Kremlin determination to retreat troops from Kherson.

Political expert Alexander Dugin, a vigorous protagonist of Russia's invasion, successful caller days had openly criticized Putin for failing to support "Russian cities" such arsenic Kherson, according to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War. The deliberation vessel quoted Dugin arsenic saying Putin has a work to sphere Russia oregon look the destiny of “king of the rains.”

In "The Golden Bough" by Sir James Frazer, a king is killed for failing to supply rainfall during a drought.

"The authorities successful Russia cannot surrender thing else... the bounds has been reached," Dugin reportedly said.

But connected Sunday, Dugin was pledging support for Putin on Telegram.

"The West (has) started to connote that I and Russian patriots person turned against Putin aft the Kherson surrender, allegedly demanding his resignation," Dugin wrote. "No 1 has turned their backmost connected Putin, I and each Russian patriots enactment him unconditionally."

Dugin's daughter, TV commentator Daria Dugina, 29, was killed successful a Moscow car detonation successful August. Russian authorities blamed the onslaught connected Ukraine operatives and suggested her begetter was the target.

Latest developments:

►Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba sought to temper the excitement implicit Kherson. “We are winning battles connected the ground, but the warfare continues,” helium said.

►Aides to Putin person tried to distance him from the Kherson retreat. "The defence curate (made) the decision, I person thing to accidental astir this," Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

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In Kherson, a 3rd time of jubilation amid devastation

Ukrainians waved flags and danced successful the streets of the liberated larboard metropolis of Kherson for the 3rd consecutive time Sunday, elated residents shrugging disconnected air-raid sirens that blared crossed their metropolis and astir of the country. The authorities urged residents to instrumentality screen successful shelters during the alert, which came arsenic determination officials worked to reconstruct powerfulness and h2o to Kherson and scores of adjacent villages abandoned by retreating Russian forces. 

Military unit worked to wide the portion of mines the Russians near behind. Almost 2,000 travel wires, mines and unexploded ammunition had already been removed precocious Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

"Please, beloved citizens of Kherson, beryllium cautious and pass the constabulary oregon rescuers astir immoderate suspicious objects you see," Zelenskyy said successful a nationalist address. "Please stay vigilant of your ain safety."

Kremlin cedes Kherson, but heats up conflict for Donbas

The Kremlin whitethorn person fixed up power of the important larboard metropolis of Kherson, but the conflict for the concern Donbas portion of eastbound Ukraine remained unrelenting and brutal Sunday. The portion is comprised of 2 "oblasts" – provinces Luhansk and Donetsk. Russia had assumed astir full power of Luhansk and astir fractional of Donetsk anterior to the commencement of Ukraine's counteroffensive 2½ months ago. Ukrainian forces person since liberated a tiny country successful Luhansk portion Russia continues to propulsion guardant successful Donetsk. 

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces were advancing into aggregate villages southwest of Donetsk city.

"It's conscionable hellhole there," Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said of Donetsk. "There are highly brutal battles determination each day. But our units support themselves bravely, withstand the unspeakable unit of the occupiers, and support our defence lines."

Zelenskyy pledged that much occupied cities would soon beryllium retaken. Ultimately adjacent Crimea, held by the Russians since 2014, volition fall, helium said.

"We volition decidedly spot however radical with Ukrainian flags, which they support there, volition conscionable the Ukrainian forces," helium said. "There volition beryllium hundreds of them connected the streets connected the time of liberation."

Contributing: The Associated Press