"Two people died in the village of Nizhnee Berezovo[-Vtoroe] of Shebekinsky District, another one is being taken to hospital in a serious condition," Gladkov said on Telegram.
The governor said the civilians were killed when Ukrainian army opened fire while they were planting potatoes in their garden.
Settlements of Shebekinsky district have been repeatedly shelled by the Ukrainian armed forces, resulting in dozens of civilians killed or injured. Nizhnee Berezovo-Vtoroe is one of the closest settlements to the Russian-Ukrainian border, located only 5.6 miles north of it.