A cruise missile has gone astray after a test launch and fallen near a village in north-west Russia, but no one has been hurt, according to the Russian defence ministry.

It said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that the missile inflicted no damage when it fell on Tuesday near Nyonoksa on the White Sea coast in the Arkhangelsk region.

However, the news agency Tass reported earlier that the missile hit a three-storey building near Nyonoksa, causing a fire that damaged its roof and several apartments. There were no casualties, Tass said.

The ministry did not specify the missile type or offer any further details. It said experts were working to determine the reasons behind the incident.