Vladimir Putin brands Crimea bridge blast a 'terror attack' and blames Ukrainian special forces

A red-faced Vladimir Putin has branded the attack on a bridge in Crimea a ‘terror attack’ and blamed Ukrainian special forces for the explosion which severely damaged the key link to the Russian mainland.

Speaking ahead of a meeting with his Security Council tomorrow, the livid Russian president said the blast at the Kerch bridge was designed to destroy ‘critically important civilian infrastructure’.

His declaration that the attack is a terrorist incident has sparked fears the war could escalate further, with former head of the British Army Lord Dannatt saying indescriminate shelling of Ukrainian cities could follow and that Putin has the potential to ‘go nuclear’.

Russian governors have threatened revenge missile attacks after the destruction of the bridge, which was considered to be one of his pet projects.

However, the Kremlin tonight has appeared to calm the waters, saying suggestions that nuclear weapons coudl be used in retaliation for the destruction of the bridge are…