From the Wall Street Journal: Two Russian attack submarines were detected patrolling the waters off the East Coast of the U.S. in recent days, including one that came as close as 200 miles offshore, according to U.S. military officials . . .

The senior military official said the two Russian vessels were nuclear-powered Akula class submarines, which were used during the Cold War to track North Atlantic Treaty Organization vessels and, in the event of war, attack enemy subs and ships with torpedoes and missiles. Only larger ballistic-missile subs are used for nuclear-weapons launches . . .

The submarine patrols are the latest series of recent military operations by the Russians — many of which Moscow dropped in the years following the Cold War — which analysts believe are an attempt to reassert the stature of its military.

Last year, a Russian long-range strategic bomber buzzed the U.S. aircraft carrier Nimitz and its accompanying flotilla as the Pearl Harbor-based strike group was patrolling the Pacific.

Two years ago, the Royal Air Force scrambled fighters to intercept Russian strategic “Bear” bombers that were flying patrols close to British airspace. (photo: Department of Defense)