Thomas Nilsen

Murmansk police files charges against Sergey Alekseenko

Warning! The following sentence is unlawful to publish: “Being gay means being brave and confident person, with dignity and self-esteem.”
December 23, 2015

Approves radioactive waste disposal in melting permafrost

Regional Government of Arkhangelsk Oblast says yes to Novaya Zemlya waste dump.
December 22, 2015

Norway continues sanctions on Russia

EU prolongs its economic sanctions, the U.S. announces expanded sanctions list and Russia, in return, says it will pool proposals on possible countermeasures.
December 22, 2015

Helsinki Committee says Norway’s return of refugees to Russia is risky

National Police Immigration Service will not reveal how many people will be given a bicycle for return to Russia.
December 21, 2015

Norwegians want to give Finland mountaintop

More than 4,000 have signed up in a Facebook campaign aimed at giving the top of Halti Mountain as anniversary present when Finland in 2017 marks 100-years independence.
December 18, 2015

Svalbard gets cash to restructure businesses

Norwegian Government hopes for new innovation. Coal mining in Svea and Lunckefjell will be halted temporarily.
December 18, 2015

Krone and ruble tumble together with oil price

Oil currencies tumble to a record low. For the first time since 1992, the Swedish krone is now stronger than the Norwegian. One US dollar is sold for 71 rubles.
December 18, 2015

Church on the move

Kiruna’s landmark wooden church will be demolished and relocated so it doesn’t fall into the underground iron-ore mine.
December 17, 2015

Green light for Arctic drilling without daylight

Austrian oil driller OMV starts New Year with drilling north in the Barents Sea.
December 17, 2015

Cruise missile accidentally hit apartment block

Malfunctioned during a test shooting and fell into the three-store house in the village of Nyonoska in Arkhangelsk Region.
December 16, 2015

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Thomas Nilsen is editor of the Independent Barents Observer with its news desk located in Kirkenes, northern Norway. He has a long experience in media cooperation across the borders in the high north of Europe, both as radio- and newspaper reporter all the way back to the days before the breakup of the Soviet Union. 

Nilsen has been editor of Barents Observer since 2009.

He was Deputy Head of the Norwegian Barents Secretariat from 2004-2009. Until 2003, he worked 12 years for the Bellona Foundation’s Russian study group, focusing on nuclear safety issues and general environmental challenges in northern areas and the Arctic. 

Thomas has been traveling extensively across northern Scandinavia and Arctic Russia since the late 80’s working for different media and organizations. He is also a guide at sea and in remote locations in the Russian north for various groups and regularly lectures on security issues, environmental and socio-economic development.

Thomas Nilsen studied at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Mobile: +47-90573143

thomas@thebarentsobserver.com
@nilsen.thomas