A Russian bomber reportedly intercepted flying over the English Channel last week is purported to have carried a nuclear weapon.

Sources within the Ministry of Defence have revealed that one of the two long-range bombers was carrying at least one air-dropped “seek and find” nuclear missile, designed to seek and destroy a Vanguard submarine, Sunday Express, reported Sunday.

It said RAF Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled on Wednesday after two long-range TU-95 “Bear” bombers were detected flying over the English Channel.

One senior RAF source reportedly said: “We downloaded conversations from the crew of one plane, who used a special word which meant the would-be attack was a training exercise.”

Both Prime Minister David Cameron and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon were alerted after cockpit conservations confirming the bomber’s nuclear payload were intercepted by a Norwegian military listening post, and shared with the MoD.

Now London-based journalist and former chief of Voice of Russia’s London Bureau Dmitry Linnik says: “This was no incursion. We are talking about the so-called zone of British interests, not British airspace. It was at least 25 miles out of British airspace.”

He said the UK was only following in the footsteps of the US and that “it is forming a hostile narrative to Russia, which has been going on for at least months now.”

The latest incident was described as “yet another in a series of deliberately provocative” measures by Russia.

Britain on Thursday summoned the Russian ambassador, criticizing the move.

HRK/GHN