Vladimir Putin may not be able to use most of Russia's nuclear weapons and Ukrainian forces could be attempting another attack on the Crimea bridge, according to reports from a high level Kremlin security meeting.
Insiders think the Russia president could have issues deploying 87 per cent of the country's nuclear missiles.
The West fears he will unleash a horrific nuclear attack on Ukraine, or even NATO countries, by helping the war-torn country defend itself from invasion by funnelling weapons and equipment into the area.
However, claims made today indicate a lot of Russia's deadly nuclear arsenal might be unusable and only "nuclear waste".
It comes as he was told Russia may not be able to hold into Crimea and parts of Donetsk if the Crimean bridge is attacked again.
This would halt the flow of arms and supplies into the disputed territory where fierce fighting has taken place.
It was suggested the strategically important bridge could be "completely disabled" in the next two months by Ukrainian forces said to be planning to take out two more pillars supporting the $3.7billion (£3bn) structure between the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed in 2014, and southern Russia.
The longest bridge in Europe was a major supply line for troops, fuel, arms and supplies for Russian forces fighting in the Donbas.
Russia had hoped to finish repairs to the stricken Kerch bridge by July next year, after it was damaged in an explosion in October.
The Kremlin blamed Ukraine and its Western allies for the blast, however Kyiv has not claimed responsibility.
Putin reportedly said he wanted to plunge Ukraine into darkness with continued airstrikes on the country's power grid, in a bid to force civilians to suffer Christmas and New Year "in the dark".
Some members of the council attending the meeting were said to have cast doubt on using this tactic, much to Putin's anger, insiders claimed.
If the bridge was disabled it would mean ferry crossings would be used exclusively for military operations, making any civilian evacuation almost impossible, the reports claimed.
Putin reportedly held an operational meeting via video on Friday with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council.
The council were said to have discussed a report of Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, that stated 87 per cent of Russia's strategic and tactical nuclear weapons have "restrictions on their use".
According to Russian Telegram posts from Kremlin sources, this means the weapons are "unsuitable for use".
Another major part of the report by Patrushev - a close ally of Putin since their days in the KGB - featured the implications of a second attack on the bridge to the Crimean peninsula.
General SVR Telegram account stated of the security meeting: "Patrushev reported that, according to available information, the Crimean bridge could be completely disabled in the next two months.
"Allegedly, with the support of the 'Anglo-Saxons' [Putin's term for Britain, the US and Germany], using the latest weapons of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, they are preparing to strike at two or more pillars of the Crimean bridge, damaging the supporting parts.
"According to the experts who got acquainted with the details provided by the intelligence and compiled a summary for the report to the president, if such a plan of attack on the Crimean bridge is implemented, the restoration of the bridge will take at least six months."
An explosion on other major pillars of the structure could hinder Russia's ability to hold onto areas annexed during the latest invasion that began in February, as well as the 2014 annexation of Crimea, the reports stated.
The anonymous account run by former Kremlin officials and security staff added: "Almost all participants in the meeting expressed the opinion that the destruction of the Crimean bridge would make it impossible for Russia to hold Crimea and the occupied territories of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and part of the Donetsk regions of Ukraine by military means.
"Putin said that in any case, he considers it necessary to continue massive missile strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure facilities and thus force the Ukrainian leadership to negotiate.
"Putin insists on the need to arrange 'holidays in the dark' for Ukraine...to increase the strikes for the Catholic Christmas in western Ukraine and for the New Year throughout Ukraine.
"Despite the president's demand, several participants in the meeting expressed doubts about such tactics, which caused Putin's displeasure."
Explosions struck two Russian airbases miles from the frontline, suggesting Ukraine can now target long-range bombers used to strike the country's infrastructure.
Earlier this morning the Engels-2 airbase in Russia's Saratov region, plus a military airbase near the city of Ryazan were hit, according to Russian media.
