Russian fighter MiG Norwegian F-16
A Russian fighter Mig-29 OVT is seen flying outside Moscow KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images

In scenes reminiscent of Hollywood Cold War movie Top Gun, a Russian MiG is seen flying disturbingly close to a Norwegian fighter jet in a video released by Oslo.

The footage, recorded by a Norwegian F-16, was published at a moment where Nato member states in northeastern Europe have lamented an increase in Russian military activity off their borders in the wake of the Ukrainian crisis.

The F-16 is seen flying above the clouds at an undisclosed location when a MiG suddenly appears at its right.

"What the hell!" the Norwegian pilot is heard saying, as he initiates an evasive manoeuvre.

A Norwegian military spokesman said the encounter was dangerous and unwanted from their side.

"We could have had a collision between the aircraft," Norwegian Armed Forces spokesman Brynjar Stordal told the Wall Street Journal.

"We don't know if this was a mistake by the Russian pilot, or a sign of a more aggressive behaviour by the Russians."

In November, Nato warned that Russian military aircrafts' growing presence in the skies above the Baltic region was also posing a security threat to civil aviation.

Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said that Russian aircrafts regularly failed to file flight plans or communicate with air controllers and usually flew with their transponders off.

Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, said that this year Nato jets scrambled to intercept aircrafts protect the airspace of European alliance members 400 times - up 50% on last year.

The increase came as Russia escalated its military air activity across the Black Sea, the Norwegian Sea, and the Baltic area.

"It's a pattern we haven't seen for many years and which should remind us of the way they [Russians] conducted this kind of military air activity in the time of the Cold War," Stoltenberg said.