AN arms depot in a village in Russia near the border with Ukraine was on fire today, said the local governor, as the military campaign in the pro-Western country enters its third month.

“According to preliminary information, an ammunition depot was on fire near the village of Staraya Nelidovka” about 12km from the Ukrainian border, said the Belgorod region governor on Telegram.

Vyacheslav Gladkov said the fire has been put out and there is no injury among civilians or damage to residential buildings.

The cause of the fire is not immediately clear.

Separately, the governors of neighbouring Kursk and Voronezh – also near the border with Ukraine – said air defence systems were triggered during the night.

“There is no casualty or destruction,” said Kursk governor Roman Starovoyt on Telegram, while Voronezh governor Alexander Gusev said their air defence system “successfully destroyed” a small reconnaissance drone.

The governor did not say where the drone came from.

Russia has repeatedly accused Ukrainian forces of launching strikes on its soil, warning that Moscow’s troops will intensify attacks on Kyiv in response.

On Monday, a fuel depot was on fire in the Bryansk region, also near Ukraine.

In early April, Gladkov said Kyiv helicopters fired at a fuel depot there. – AFP, April 27, 2022.