Moscow, Apr 21 (EFE).- At least two people were injured on Thursday night in Belgorod, near the border with Ukraine, after a Russian military plane accidentally struck the city.

“As a Sukhoi Su-34 air force plane was flying over the city of Belgorod there was an accidental discharge of aviation ammunition,” the defense ministry said, according to the Russian official news agency Tass.

A handout photo made available by the Governor of the Belgorod Region Vyacheslav Gladkov’s telegram channel shows a damaged apartment after a blast in downtown Belgorod, Russia, 20 April 2023, (issued 21 April 2023). EFE/EPA/BELGOROD GOVERNOR VYACHESLAV GLADCOV TELEGRAM CHANNEL/HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

The explosion caused a large crater in the center of the city, affected several residential buildings, cars and power line poles, Russian news agency Sputnik reported.

The governor of the region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reported on his Telegram channel that two women were injured by the blast, with one suffering a head injury and was hospitalized “in a state of moderate severity”, while the other suffered burns but refused hospital treatment.

A handout photo made available by the Governor of the Belgorod Region Vyacheslav Gladkov’s telegram channel shows damage near the blast crater in downtown Belgorod, Russia, 20 April 2023, (issued 21 April 2023). EFE/EPA/BELGOROD GOVERNOR VYACHESLAV GLADCOV TELEGRAM CHANNEL/HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

The apartment building that was damaged was evacuated, the local governor said.

The explosion left a huge, 20m crater and affected several residential buildings, cars and power line poles.

The power of the blast wave was such that a car parked next to the explosion site was left on the roof of a nearby building. EFE

mos/ks