A lone gunman killed two children and a teacher at a kindergarten in central Russia on Tuesday, the region’s governor has said.

       The man had entered the school in the central Russian town of Veshkayma in Ulyanovsk, and shot at a female member of staff and children before later killing himself, said federal lawmaker and former governor Sergei Morozov.

       Another staff member was injured in the incident, local health officials have said.

       “I express my deep condolences to the families and friends of the victims. This is an irreplaceable loss for all of us”, governor Alexei Russkikh said in a statement.

       Investigators have opened a criminal case over the incident, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.

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       Authorities have so far not identified the gunman, reported the Moscow Times.

       The age of the children has also not yet been confirmed.

       Last year, Russia saw at least two incidents of campus shootings.

       Nine people were killed and 21 were left injured during a school shooting in the city of Kazan in May, while six were killed during a mass shooting incident at Perm State National Research University in September last year.

       Additional reporting from agencies.