Claims show would scare viewers with a non-existent threat from the East

The 10-episode TV drama, which starts on October 4, has angered Russia

A Norwegian television channel will air a fictional drama depicting a Russian invasion of the Scandinavian country - a move that has angered Moscow.

The 10-episode show starts on October 4 and tells the story of the invasion after radical environmentalists seize power and freeze Norway's oil and gas industry.

TV2 drama chief Christopher Haug said the show is 'foremost about Norway and Norwegians, not Russia or Russians'.

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In the show, Russia partly occupies Norway to resume the oil industry following a secret deal with the European Union. Pictured is a poster for the show

In Occupied, Russia partly occupies Norway to resume the oil industry following a secret deal with the European Union.

The series is the most expensive drama in Norwegian television history, costing more than £7million.

The production company has already sold the series to stations across Europe.

'I am surprised by the reaction. It is obviously a fiction, everyone can see that,' Mr Haug said, adding that the Russian Embassy had been told about the series 'at an early stage, three years ago, I believe'.

'It's an engaging character drama about people put under great pressure,' he added, stressing it 'doesn't aim to reflect the current geopolitical situation in a realistic way'.

Vyacheslav Pavlovsky, the Russian ambassador in Oslo, told Russia's Tass agency that 'Russia, regrettably, has the role of the aggressor'.

'In the worst traditions of the Cold War, (this show) decided to scare Norwegian viewers with a non-existent threat from the East,' he said.

Occupied, a 10-part television drama, was created by renowned Norwegian crime author Jo Nesbø (pictured)

Despite the Norwegian government's policy of improving trade and political cooperation with Russia, relations between the two countries have been in the deep freeze after the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March last year.

Norway suspended all concrete forms of military cooperation with Russia, a move which halted efforts to establish and maintain 'normal relations' with Moscow in other aspects such as trade, the environment, security and defence.

Russia wants to encourage its Baltic neighbours to give in to Russian interests, with the Kremlin advising the Nordic state against joining the NATO-missile defense system,

But, last month, Norway pledged to contribute to the system, as well as increase its annual spending on defence.

STRAINED RELATIONS BETWEEN NORWAY AND RUSSIA Relations between Norway and Russia have been in the deep freeze after the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March last year. Norway suspended all concrete forms of military cooperation with Russia, a move which halted efforts to establish and maintain 'normal relations' in other aspects such as trade, the environment, security and defence. Norway, along with Denmark, Finland and Sweden, lies across vital shipping lanes, making them key military objectives for the Kremlin. Moscow wants to encourage its Baltic neighbours to give in to Russian interests, a move which would allow Russia to isolate the former Soviet Baltic states, Estonia Latvia and Lithuania. Advertisement

Meanwhile, as Russian-backed separatists battle for control of eastern Ukraine, Moscow has sent its military to tease NATO's borders.

NATO member countries - of which Norway is one - scrambled jets more than 400 times in 2014 to intercept Russian military flights.

Earlier this year, concerns were growing over Russian ships that docked in a once-secret naval base in the Arctic.

Military leaders in Norway, which shares a northern border with Russia, were nervous about its powerful neighbour's presence on its 'strategically important' coastline.

Fears peaked after three Russian ships spent the entire winter docked deep within Olavsvern Naval Base - a mountain hideaway which was once a heavily guarded military facility.

Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden lie across vital shipping lanes, making them key military objectives for the Kremlin.

The capture of the territories would allow Russia to seal off the Baltic and isolate the former Soviet Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

In a move which further complicated confidence-building relations between the two countries, it was reported earlier this year that 33,000 Russian troops practised the invasion of the four countries during a military exercise.

The scenario was based around a Western-backed uprising against Putin in Moscow, with some troops rehearsing an attack on Norway with the aim of seizing an area in the north of the country.