MOSCOW, March 24. /TASS/. Two people have been injured after an artillery shell launched from Ukraine had exploded in Russia’s Belgorod Region, Alexey Zhirov, the chief doctor of the Belgorod ambulance station, told reporters on Wednesday.

"Today at 15.25, an injured man sought medical help from the ambulance team on duty in the village of Zhuravlevka. He was examined and provided with medical treatment. He was taken to City Hospital No. 2 with injuries of medium severity. Then another man came complaining of the shoulder pain. He was examined and given medical aid, but hospitalization was not needed," Alexey Zhirov said.

Belgorod Mayor Anton Ivanov said in video footage posted on his Telegram channel, "In the evening, 178 people, who live in Nekhoteevka and Zhuravlevka that were affected in the incident with a shell impact, came round. A hundred people have stayed at our temporary accommodation center, and 78 people have headed to their relatives’ and friends’ [places]."

An emergency situation was declared in two villages of Russia’s Belgorod Region on Wednesday following the explosion of a Ukrainian artillery shell that caused damage and casualties. After the incident, about 120 village residents have been evacuated to Belgorod. Chairman of Russia’s Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin ordered to launch criminal proceedings over the bombardment.