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Vladimir Putin is testing British military patience by sending the deadly subs past the oversees territory on their way into the Mediterranean. The new cold war developing between Russia and their Western enemies is becoming increasingly focused on the Med, which Vladimir Putin has been utilising due to the war in Syria. Now a Spanish military source confided there are growing concerns about the exact actions of Russian subs as they travel into the Med past Gibraltar and the Spanish coast.

GETTY Russia has sent submarines to the coast of Gibraltar

The anonymous source said: “In the case of the Spanish coasts the presence of submarines is generally limited to cross-strait transit and access. “However, precisely because of the special characteristics of modern submarines, it is difficult to be certain of the kind of operations that, even occasionally, they are carrying out." READ MORE: What does Brexit mean for Gibraltar?

GETTY Vladimir Putin has been carrying out increasingly provocative war games

The source said it would be foolish to underestimate the incredible power of the subs, which are capable of carrying out serious damage. He said: “Although it is estimated that the presence of Russian submarines in the Mediterranean is not permanent nowadays, it is important to remember the capacity of these vessels, such as the launch in 2015 of cruise missiles Calibre from the submarine Rostov-on-Don in the Mediterranean Sea against terrorists near Raqqa, capital of the self-proclaimed Islamic State.”

Meet Putin's deadly warships Mon, March 13, 2017 Putin's armed fleet heads for Dover as Moscow moves ships from the Med to square up to Royal Navy vessels in 'Operation Sea Fist' Play slideshow Dover-marina.com 1 of 23 Putin's warships sail past the White Cliffs of Dover

UK military sources also confirmed the presence of Russian submarines off the Gibraltar coast. They said: “In recent years we have seen an increase in Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic and in the Mediterranean.

“We can also confirm that there has been an increase in its capabilities with better-equipped submarines and greater stealth capacity." This marks just the most recent example of Russian sabre-rattling in this new conflict. Last month RAF jets were scrambled when Russian fighter planes approached UK airspace.

GOOGLE MAPS The Russian subs have been passing Gibraltar into the Med

GETTY Russian submarines are capable of carrying out devastating attacks