The governor of Russia's Belgorod region said on Wednesday that Ukraine had shelled the Russian border town of Shebekino with Grad missiles, but that no casualties had resulted.

Both Shebekino and the wider Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine's Kharkiv region, have come under repeated shelling from Kyiv's forces in recent weeks according to Russian officials.

There was no immediate comment on Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov's allegation from Ukraine. Reuters could not independently verify his assertion.

The Grad (Hail) weapons system is a truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher used by both Russian and Ukrainian forces. Its use against civilian areas is regarded as a war crime by human rights activists. (Reporting by Reuters Editing by Andrew Osborn)