Washington, Aug 5 (DPA) Two Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines have been spotted in the Atlantic Ocean off the US eastern seaboard, The New York Times reported late Tuesday on its website, citing defence department officials.

Such patrols have been rare since the demise of the Soviet Union.

The Times sources said two such vessels had not conducted operations off the US in perhaps 15 years. The paper reported that US defence and intelligence sources considered the manoeuvres a surprising level of assertiveness by the Russian military.

The submarines are apparently not a type that can launch nuclear-armed ballistic missiles.