July 3 (Reuters) - At least three people were killed and dozens of residential buildings damaged in Russia's Belgorod on Sunday, the local governor said, after earlier reports of several blasts heard in the city that lies near the border with Ukraine.

At least 11 apartment buildings were damaged and 39 private residential houses, including five fully destroyed, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the Belgorod region, said.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the reports. There was no immediate reaction from Ukraine to the reports. (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)