Oslo opens up for big drilling, but oil companies do not want remote Barents licenses

Longform

The great patriotic battle for the young minds

Longform

On patrol along its Arctic coast, Norway's relation with Russia is challenged between deterrence and reassurance

Longform
Arctic renewables

The ice cold Arctic winds of Berlevåg might propel the world towards a great green shift

Article
Video story

A container from China arrives in Narvik. It could pave way for a new transport route

This sanctioned bank is now Norway’s most valuable asset in Russia

Engine supplier to Norwegian spy ship bought by Russian-controlled company

Nuclear Arctic

State developers plan flotilla of floating reactors on Russian East Arctic coast

Research - partner contents

Fram Centre

"Larger areas of ocean in the Arctic must be protected"

Fram Centre

Pink salmon: problem or resource?

Fram Centre

The melting Arctic: how algal blooms change in rapidly warming seas

The Barents Observer Newsletter

After confirming you're a real person, you can write your email below and we include you to the subscription list.

ADVERTISEMENT

Closed military town on Kola coast loses lifeline to base

Traffic, mobile data show Lapland travellers not deterred by worsening COVID situation in Finland

Fight for free speech

Journalist Svetlana Prokopeva wanted to understand the young terrorist from Arkhangelsk. She ended up in a brawl with the FSB

Giga-scale green hydrogen plant with steel production to be built in northern Sweden

COVID-19

Norway cancels allied exercise over COVID-19 safety concerns

Norway closes borders over fears of virus, but exempts Russian fishermen from severely infected border region

Barents Region’s coronavirus death toll crosses 2000

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT

Sami Parliament in Finland agrees more time needed for Truth and Reconciliation Commission preparation

Large Russian missile cruiser sails Varanger fjord close to Norway's border

NSR mid-winter

Arctic shipper shows off a historical icebreaking voyage

Finnmark dogsled race cancelled over COVID-19 fears

Kremlin takes look at grand Arctic tourism project on border to Norway

Valentina receives Thorvald Stoltenberg's award for her work on minorities rights in the Barents region

Russia announces multiple missiles towards Bear Gap as US Air Force bombers deploy to Norway for first time

Bring it home

Moscow orders return to motherland of fish and fishermen

PHOTOS See more

  • An ice sculpture of Russia's single aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov". Photo: Andrey Zolotkov
  • The snow village is rebuilt every winter in Kirovsk on the Kola Peninsula. Photo: Andrey Zolotkov
  • Photo: Andrey Zolotkov
  • Photo: Andrey Zolotkov
  • Photo: Andrey Zolotkov
  • Photo: Andrey Zolotkov
  • Photo: Andrey Zolotkov
  • Photo: Andrey Zolotkov
  • Photo: Andrey Zolotkov
  • Photo: Andrey Zolotkov

Snow village in Kirkovsk

VIDEOS See more

With threats looming, Nordic countries strengthen defense cooperation

COVID-19

No complications, says Northern Fleet after vaccinated 10,000 servicemen

Igor Sechin: New Arctic oil discoveries are world's biggest

Authorities in northern Finland concerned COVID-19 might spread during winter break

Tech trouble

It is mid-winter, but world's most powerful icebreaker lies idle in port

Nornickel gears up for green race, closure of old copper smelter in Monchegorsk will halve air pollution

Tromsø will host a new Norwegian rescue helicopter base

Foreign Minister Lavrov

Russia ready to cut ties with Europe

Kemi gets largest wood processing plant on northern hemisphere

Ice cold winter on far northern coast, but nearby Arctic waters are record warm

Russian bombers met by NATO fighter jets over the Barents Sea

Arkhangelsk

Not all unsanctioned rallies are met with police crackdown

Norway intelligence warns about new nuclear weapons technology developed by Russia

Militarization

New Russian fighter jets on standby in upgraded Arctic air base

U.S. Air Force to refuel Finnish fighter jets up north

Rosatom joins Arctic Economic Council

Record fine

Nornickel must pay €1.62 billion for its huge oil spill on Arctic tundra

Russia sees population shrink by half a million in 2020

NOVATEK becomes member in the Arctic Economic Council in an environmentally conscious streak

Barents Must-Reads

On patrol along its Arctic coast, Norway's relation with Russia is challenged between deterrence and reassurance

Longread

Miners hunting for metals to battery cars threaten Sámi reindeer herders' homeland

Norway's celebration of Svalbard Treaty was followed by ardent and coordinated response from Moscow media

Photo story

Pasvik, the river that tells the High North

Climate change is about to divide Norway’s largest Arctic island into two

Russia presents a grandiose 5-year plan for the Arctic

Threat of military conflict in the Arctic is ‘relatively low,’ says top Russian diplomat

Russia and the U.S. extend nuclear arms treaty

Nordic countries condemn Kremlin's persecution of Aleksei Navalny

Icebreaking record

Tanker embarks on first ever mid-winter voyage on Northern Sea Route

Norway's wealth fund sells oil portfolio, echoing the movement into a green future

Asia to Europe

Containers next for Northern Sea Route, new terminal one step closer to realization in Murmansk

Northern Finland

Restart of controversial mine could bring hundreds of jobs and billions in turnover, report

Northern Fleet

Brand new large landing ship sails into home port of Severomorsk

Exploit or protect

Softening of environmental law paves way for big oil push into pristine Arctic lands

Navalny arrest

Despite intensified crackdown, Russian youth staged fresh protests

Battery-power in freezing cold

Iron ore miner takes lead in development of all-electric heavy truck for Arctic roads

Popular protest

Police squads are hunting down anti-Putin protesters in north Russian cities

Northern Norway battery maker plans giga-factory, New York stock listing

Energy region

Moscow ponders over future for Arctic natural gas

Calling attention to climate emergency, Lapland town Salla launches parody bid for 2032 Summer Olympics

"Be silent, or die"

Big hassle in north Russian town as local school teacher stands up for free speech

Norway closes borders over fears of virus, but exempts Russian fishermen from severely infected border region

Ambassador Vasiliev lists Russia's new Arctic priorities with focus on fossil fuels and positive effects of climate changes

Dying industry is still big business in Murmansk

Violetta Grudina detained in Murmansk as Navalny supporters plan new protests

Anti-Putin snowman protest leads to Arkhangelsk activist’s detention

Is this Russia's new coastal base for the 'doomsday nuke' drones?

Arctic coal

Coal tycoon confirms construction start at new Taymyr terminal

Norway cancels allied exercise over COVID-19 safety concerns

Repressive policy

Only two hours after standing trial for sharing music video by Rammstein, Andrey Borovikov is arrested for his support of Aleksey Navalny

Hundreds of Navalny supporters joined protest in Murmansk

Clean and green

New major wind power plant in Murmansk might produce green hydrogen

Despite crackdowns and freezing cold, Navalny supporters make ready for Saturday's demonstrations

'Youth Army' steps up patriotic offensive in Murmansk schools

Honoring Soviet dictator: Murmansk Communists say time has come to raise a monument of Stalin

Trade stalemate

Russia sees lowest foreign investment since 1994

Russian bombers Tu-160 refuel in polar night over Arctic waters

LNG tanker loses engine power on Northern Sea Route

Disney to shoot climate change drama at Svalbard

Norway extends border closure with Finland

"A step closer to year-round shipments on Northern Sea Route"

Partners