NATO official have warned that Russian submarine activity is now “at levels not seen since the Cold War” and a “Royal Air Force (RAF) Poseidon P-8 submarine hunter” chased a nuclear attack sub off the coast of Norway.

The Russian sub was confirmed to be an “Akula class attack submarine” and the stand off ended when they headed off into the North Sea.

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Discussing the situation with The Mail, Sidharth Kaushal , Research Fellow (Sea Power) at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) said it was unlikely the submarine was forced to surface after suggestions were made that the RAF had done so.

He said, “I think that’s very unlikely it was forced to the surface, as they can only really do that with depth charges.

“It’s a cat and mouse game between these submarine patrols and the countries they are passing.

“Submarines quite often travel on the surface as it’s safer to navigate that way.

“This one may have been part of the Russian Northern Fleet on its way back from the Navy Day parade in St Petersburg on July 31.”

He added, “Whatever the Russian submarine was doing there, either simple transit or something more clandestine, the Norwegians would want to shadow it with help from other NATO assets.

“NATO officials have said that Russian submarine activity is at levels that they haven’t seen since the Cold War.

“The Norwegian vessel appears to be a Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate of the Royal Norwegian Navy involved in the operation surrounding this submarine.”