A blast triggered by an explosive device has killed 10 people at a college in Crimea, according to Russia’s counter-terrorism agency.

The National Anti-Terrorism Committee said the blast at the vocational college in the city of Kerch in eastern Crimea was caused by an unidentified device.

It said about 50 others were wounded, but gave no further details.

Earlier, emergency officials had said the blast was caused by a gas canister explosion.

Emergency services at the scene
Emergency services at the scene (Kerch FM News/AP)

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move that triggered Western sanctions.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told reporters that officials are looking into the possibility it was a terrorist attack.

He said Mr Putin has instructed investigators and intelligence agencies to conduct a thorough probe and offered condolences to the families of the victims.