A loud explosion was heard on Monday morning in Russia's Belgorod region, close to the border with Ukraine, two witnesses told Reuters.
The witnesses reported a loud bang and windows shaking.
Russia's RIA Novosti news agency cited local officials as saying the blast was caused by explosions of ammunition at a landfill site.
Belgorod region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that in a separate incident, Ukrainian forces fired on border villages on Monday.
Reuters was unable to verify battlefield reports.
(Reporting by ReutersEditing by Mark Heinrich)