The deceased is Morten Ruud (57), editor of Norwegian public radio’s regional broadcaster in Finnmark.
The wildfire crossed the border on the night between Friday and Saturday at Raja-Jooseppi in Inari.
First two tankers with liquid natural gas from Russian Arctic via the Northern Sea Route arrives in China.
8,200 Russians have got Norwegian citizenship since the breakup of the Soviet Union, show figures compiled by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration for the Barents Observer.
Eyes on Barents
Reindeer herding or mining on Násafjäll? The question comes to a head now that the company Elkem AS has applied for expropriation in order to start quarrying for quartz in an area where three Swedish Sámi villages and a Norwegian reindeer-herding district practice reindeer herding.
Travel
Luxury cruise ship will next summer sail from Nome to Tromsø via the Northern Sea Route and then to Newfoundland via Greenland. In 2020, the idea is to circumnavigate the entire Arctic.
Swedish government announces 7 billion kroner for building North Bothnia Line high-speed railway further north to Skellefteå.
Visitors from the People’s Republic pour in, but the Arctic region of Murmansk won’t benefit, says controversial Member of Parliament Vitaly Milonov.
The Barents Observer Newsletter
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Red-hot Barents Region: Record-breaking heat at several locations in northernmost Norway, Finland and Russia Wednesday evening.
Nobody wanted to buy tickets on what was supposed to be the first direct flight from Murmansk.
Still not clear when FSB wants to bring the spy case in for court.
And there will be more. Representatives of the shipyard hint that there is still a long way to go with Russia’s nuclear missile cruiser «Admiral Nakhimov».
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19.07
Security
For locals in Vardø, a football match on TV can have 44 players, if possible at all to watch the choppy images.
Intensive military training on the Russian side of the border creates increasing communications troubles for nearby Norwegians.
How resilient are civilians to hybrid warfare and how to act in crises? A research project will include case studies from four countries vulnerable to hybrid warfare, including Norway.
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Polar bears following the sea-ice in hunt for seals have 30-35% higher concentration of perfluoroalkyl substances compared to coastal bears and levels are higher further east than the Svalbard area.
Longread
The big winds that come in from the Barents Sea carry flush green power and profits. But developers are held back by sparse infrastructure. And a growing opposition from local groups.
Yards fight for the right to build the nuclear-powered vessel that will be able to break through 4 meter ice and open wide shipping lanes across Arctic waters. But the biggest resource developers in the region might not really want it.
The dispute steps up as the Committee on Fisheries says the European Commission’s diplomatic efforts in tackling the issue with Norwegian authorities have not been resolute enough.
In 1993, Norway’s then Minister of Foreign Affairs initiated the Barents cooperation in the spirit that prevailed at the end of the Cold War.
More natural gas from the Yamal Peninsula will be pipelined towards European buyers as Gazprom starts the development of Kharasavey, one of the company’s biggest Arctic fields.
Eyes on Barents
The shores of the River Teno (Tana) are usually crowded with fishermen and women in late June, but, according to an entrepreneur from Nuorgam, Finland, there were almost no-one there this summer.
PHOTOS
Norwegian Sea King rescue helicopter exercising evacuation of people found at sea to a Coast Guard vessel. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
"OV Bøkfjord" - Operated by Norwegian Coastal Administration - participates in collecting oil spill at sea. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Bent-Ove Jamtli is Director of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of North Norway. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Coordinating radio traffic on the bridge of "KV Barentshav" during exercise Barents 2018. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The Russian navy vessel "Elbrus" exercising oil spill cleanup with lense and skimmer. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Key players in exercise Barents 2018, Norwegians and Russians. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Norwegian offshore and tug vessel "Far Sabre" with oil spill lense. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Jan Pedersen is Senior Advisor with the Norwegian Coastal Administration's Centre for Emergency Preparedness. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Fast-roping to the deck of the Norwegian Coast Guard ship "KV Barentshav" from a Russian Mi-8 helicopter operating for the rescue service based in Murmansk. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Norwegian Coast Guard vessel "Farm" sailing in pair with a FSB Coast Guard vessel. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Two of the "missing people" in the exercise were found on board this lift raft. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
In search for the "missing life raft" - Norwegian and Russian military and civilian ships and helicopters participated. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Fast-roping evacuation from a SAR-vessel to the helicopter. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Preparing for fast-roping from a rescue helicopter. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Lifting people to helicopter for evacuation is part of the exercise. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
A few of the "survivors" are safely on board a Coast Guard vessel. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Smile for cooperation: Captain on bridge Frode Urke (left) and Head of the Northern Fleet's exercise unit Aleksandr Ulyanov (in the middle). Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Speedy working boat shuttles people in between the Norwegian and Russian participating ships. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The Russian Northern Fleet's new logistics support ship "Elbrus" and the civilian offfshore- and tug vessel "Umka" (in the horizon). Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Norwegian Coast Guard vessel "Farm" with oil spill lense. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Igor Makeev is Captain Coordinator with Murmansk Sea Rescue Centre. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Coast Guard officer on watch. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
From the bridge of "KV Barentshav" team coordinators watching oil-spill cleanup practicing by the Norwegian vessel "Far Sabre" towing a lense in the sea. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
This special equipped aircraft can both search for people at sea and possible oil-spill. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
This special equipped aircraft can both search for people at sea and possible oil-spill. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Norwegian Coast Guard vessel "KV Farm" and a Russian FSB Coast Guard vessel. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Chief on "KV Barentshav" Frode Urke (left), Coordinator Captain for Murmansk Sea Rescue Centre Igor Makeev and Head of Northern Fleet exercise unit Aleksandr Ulyanov (right). Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Exercise coordination room onboard Coast Guard vessel "KV Barentshav". Photo: Thomas Nilsen
With view to Teriberka. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Teriberka municipal administration building. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Kiting in Teriberka. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Snowmobile town Teriberka. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Walking in Teriberka. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Heading out for cross-country skiing. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Welcome to Teriberka. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Views to Teriberka. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Local life in Teriberka. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Speeding with home-made snowmobile. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Walking with the dog. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Northern Fleet Head Commander Nikolay Yevmenov. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Military parade in Murmansk. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Three of her former aides say that she is.
The Oscar-II class vessel is similar to the Kursk that sank in the Barents Sea in 2000.
A number of new and modern housing blocks will be built in Sputnik - the base for the Northern Fleet’s naval infantry brigade.
Russia’s nuclear watchdog authorises operation until 2033, twice the originally planned lifetime. Bellona is deeply worried about safety.
It is another crackdown on the Russian media, and it will make it even harder for Russian journalists to engage in cooperation with foreign colleagues.
Scientists link the sharp increase in ocean temperature to a recent decline in sea-ice import. Around Svalbard, this July is worst ever in times of records.
Luxury cruise ship will next summer sail from Nome to Tromsø via the Northern Sea Route and then to Newfoundland via Greenland. In 2020, the idea is to circumnavigate the entire Arctic.
MiG-31 interceptors and Su-24 bombers are training aerobatics and aerial reconnaissance.
To be released in October, Kursk will be the first fully fledged adventure-documentary game in history.
Likely the northernmost and coldest place on earth for mandatory military service.
Eyes on Barents
Locals assembled in the streets of Murmansk to protest against the government’s pension reform, writes Blogger51.
Eyes on Barents
The Svaipa, Grans and Semisjaur–Njarg Sámi villages and the Saltfjell Reindeer-Herding District have declared a moratorium on mining in the Nása mountain, a border area between Sweden and Norway. «This is a clear statement from the reindeer-herding villages. The goal is to prevent mining on Násafjäll, both now and in future,» says Sara Ajnnak from the Svaipa Sámi village of reindeer herders.
The navy vessels are now sailing out to the Barents Sea preparing for voyage around Scandinavia towards St. Petersburg.
Eight nations, seven surface warships, three maritime patrol aircraft and two submarines. Click on the gallery above to see the photos from Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2018.
Violetta Grudina organised a protest rally ahead of the inauguration of Vladimir Putin. Now comes the reaction from the authorities.
Eyes on Barents
The company Elkem AS has submitted an application to the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries for expropriation of the rights it will need to launch mining operations on Nasafjäll, a mountain area on the border between Sweden and Norway. The company wants to start a quarry in order to mine for quarts on the Norwegian side of the border. In its statement, the municipality of Arjeplog, Sweden, says that the planned mining operations will have an impact on crossborder reindeer herding, calling for a thorough impact assessment.
Eye on the Arctic
As the open-water season becomes longer in the Arctic, little is known about how increasing vessel traffic affects marine mammals, but a new study is shedding some light.
Icebreaker «Aleksandr Sannikov» will open the way to the company’s oil terminal in the Gulf of Ob.
Barents Must-Reads
Smile for military cooperation: Chief Officer at «KV Barentshav» Frode Urke (left) and Head of the Northern Fleet's exercise unit Aleksandr Ulyanov (in the middle) are happy to work together in the Barents Sea. The scenario is realistic; missing people and people in distress at sea and prevention of oil spill pollution.
Singer Vladimir Martynenko from Murmansk used to tour neighbouring Scandinavia with Russian ballades about faith and love. He was arrested and spent more than 2 years in Lefortovo after refusing to cooperate with the Federal Security Service.
The floating nuclear power plant «Akademik Lomonosov» now under tow towards Murmansk marks the start of a comprehensive utilization of nuclear energy in the Russian Arctic. New submarines, surface warships, icebreakers, seabed- and onshore mini-reactors as well as nuclear-powered military weapons are all queuing up in record speed. The Barents Observer gives you the overview.
It will be built by Italians and produce enough electricity for a quarter of the Murmansk population. But the Russian Arctic region might not really need it.
Olenya Bay on the coast of the Barents Sea is home to a fleet of nuclear powered spy submarines and surface vessels which NATO now says are dramatically stepping up activities around undersea data cables in the North Atlantic.
These people do not make it to the cocktail receptions of regional officials, neither into the meeting agenda of government ministers or priority points of Barents action programs. Civil society is in danger of being sidelined in regional cross-border cooperation.