RUSSIA HAS SAID it intercepted two Ukrainian missiles, with debris falling on the southwestern Russian city of Taganrog, near the border with Ukraine, injuring more than a dozen people.

“Russian air defence equipment detected the Ukrainian missile and intercepted it in the air. The debris of the downed Ukrainian missile fell on the territory of Taganrog,” Russia’s defence ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also said the missile was aimed at “residential infrastructure” of the city of around 250,000 people.

Rostov region governor Vasily Golubev said 15 people suffered “light injuries” from shards in an explosion near the “Chekhov Garden” cafe in the centre of the city.

“Rescuers are at the scene. There are no dead. There are several injured to whom ambulances have been dispatched,” Golubev said on Telegram.

Nine people were taken to hospital, he added.

Golubev said that the “epicentre of the explosion” was in the Taganrog Art Museum, a few hundred metres away from the cafe.

Footage of the aftermath has been posted on the social media app Telegram and then shared on Twitter.

NOW: Explosion reported in the Russian city of Taganrog. Russian sources are reporting that a Ukrainian missile attack has occurred. There are multiple injuries. https://t.co/CjlqXKiOwU pic.twitter.com/Ru4H7Blgic

— Faytuks News Δ (@Faytuks) July 28, 2023

He said a museum wall, its roof and outbuildings were destroyed. The window frames of a nearby three-storey apartment block were damaged by the impact.

Taganrog is located on the coast of the Sea of Azov and about 40 kilometres from the border with Ukraine.

The city is also on a road leading to the port city of Mariupol, which was captured by Russian forces last year following a devastating siege.

- AFP 2023