Tuomas Siilasjoki and Minna Näkkäläjärvi say they were taken by surprise when a mobile drill rig one day appeared in the horizon. Nobody had asked them about exploring for minerals inside their siida, a reindeer foraging area, in northern Finland. The Sámi families here in Tarvantovaara wilderness area fear the world's hunger for metals to ramp up the green economy will destroy their indigenous way of life.
With nuclear-powered battle cruiser "Pyotr Veliky" at the helm, the Northern Fleet starts its biggest exercise this year.
Two weeks after it completed a record-early delivery to China via the Northern Sea Route, natural gas carrier "Christophe de Margerie" returns to natural gas terminal Sabetta on westbound voyage.
Villagers are asked to meet at 5 am on July 7th to board busses bringing them in safe distance for the Russian navy’s test site on the coast of the White Sea in northern Russia. A warning to ships is issued for a large area in the White Sea from Nenoksa towards Cape Kanin.
The "Knyaz Vladimir" arrives in Gadzhievo in the Kola Peninsula.
Research - partner contents
Fram Centre
It sounds like science fiction, but it’s actually true: Scientists can tell which species that are living in an area, by extracting DNA from seawater samples. This could be an important new tool in fisheries management.
Fram Centre
Changes in climate. Loss of biodiversity. Emissions of toxic contaminants. These are the main environmental challenges we face today, and few places are they felt as strongly as in the Arctic.
Fram Centre
Salve Dahle is inspired by the past, driven by the future, and lives for the pursuit of the unknown. Profile article 2020 is written by Christine Kristoffersen Hanssen.
The Barents Observer Newsletter
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The 100-year anniversary of the international agreement has been accompanied by mounting Russian government pressure and a wave of repulsive coverage in Russian media.
The small and oil-rich Nenets Autonomous Okrug is the only region in Russia that voted against Putin's constitutional reform.
In an interview with The Moscow Times, Grigory Melkonyants of the Golos election monitor said the vote is set to be the “least transparent” in years.
Activists staged a performance on amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation in the center of the north Russian city. A man with a Putin mask stained a folder depicting the country’s main document with a white mixture.
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Siste/ mest lest
Security
The Norwegian forces based in Kirkenes for the first time conduct live fire exercise with a Javelin anti-tank missile. The training is part of Norway's buildup of military capacities in the North.
In an early June decree, President Vladimir Putin de facto equals the Northern Fleet with a military district.
The NATO warplanes on June 3 were exercising in international airspace just outside Finnmark.
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It is the fourth year in a row that Chinese oilmen explore the far northern Kara Sea.
Invisible for humans, but detectable for radiation-filters. A cloud with tiny levels of radioactivity, believed to originate from western Russia, has been detected over Scandinavia and European Arctic.
Commuting industry workers have boosted infection rates, and the far northern Yamal Nenets Autonomous Okrug is now among the regions with the highest number of new cases.
The "Nikolay Skosyrev" is to survey Arctic waters.
Oil company Rosneft intends to drill for oil in a protected nature reserve in the far northern Taymyr peninsula.
Supplies are running short, but the researchers working in Russia's many remote Arctic meteorological bases will have to wait as a coronavirus outbreak complicates deliveries.
Roman Trotsenko is the new owner of the coal extraction licenses in the far northern Taymyr Peninsula.
Head of Norway's Joint Operative Headquarters Rune Jakobsen leads the delegation that on the 24th June attends war victory celebrations in the north Russian city.
PHOTOS
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
CLICK ON GALLERY TO SEE MORE. Apron and taxiways with the control tower. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Once upon a time, a busy runway for warplanes. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The mining town of Zapolyarny visible in the horizon from the huge closed down air base. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Woman on duty in the control tower. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
On the wall of the control tower. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Once upon a time, a Soviet military check-point. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Abandoned apartment blocks close to the air-field. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
«Peace on earth. We protected our freedom in fight». Photo: Thomas Nilsen
A golden bust of Yury Gagarin shines the glory of the town. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Abandoned apartments block. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
School bus in front of on of the few apartment blocks where people still are living. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The school in Korzunova. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
School bus ready to drive home the children from the military garrisons around Korzunova. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
"Tankodrom" - Roadsigns in Korzunova are not like in any other towns. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Photo: Thomas Nilsen
There are still some military activities outside of Korzunova. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Scrap metal from installations once upon a time important for the Soviet air force. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Corroded bust of Lenin stands in front of one of the abounded buildings in the town center. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Workers tear down some of the old houses in the center of Korzunovo. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The Gagarin museum. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Inside the Gagarin museum. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
A golden Yury Gagarin shines glory over Soviet space history. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Colonel Yuri Korzunov, a Soviet hero pilot from World War 2, gave the name to the town of Korzunovo. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The newly rebuilt monastery in Pechenga. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Heros of the Great Patriotic war (World War II). Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Final match in the sport hall was long ago. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Visitors can today step inside the buildings in Pyramiden. Like this sport hall. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Pyramiden is situated 50 kilometers north of Longyearbyen. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
".... our northern," reads half of the photo-collection poster left on the wall in the palace of culture. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The red tower of this town sign sculpture is made of old water-pipes from the coal mine. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The grand piano is an original "Red October" (Красный октябрь). Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Imagine a Saturday evening when the palace of culture was packed with coal miners listening to classical music. Or maybe there was an Arctic version of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake ballet on stage? Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Soviet fairy tale illustration on the wooden fence outside the school. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The blocks of flats are well preserved by the Arctic climate. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Likely a door to heaven for the coal miners. The sign reads "Beer Bar", but the last pint was emptied 20 years ago. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
No more water in the world's northernmost swimming pool. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
One lonely ice-skate left in the window. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The mechanical workshop for the coal mine. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The entrances to the coal mine are up in the mountain above the town. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
... and yes, it is also the world's northernmost bust of Lenin. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Yes, lots of children lived in Pyramiden, a well functioning family society. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Where people once lived, birds have now taken over. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Svalbard is famous for its bird-watching sites. Although this "bird-cliff" is somehow special. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Why the town was named Pyramiden? Well, take a look at the nearest mountain. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Comrade Lenin has a great panorama view over the town with the Nordenskiold glacier in the background. The town is still state-owned and maintained by the Russian mining company Arktikugol Trust. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
From the shafts, the coal was transported to port via this structure. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Coal loading crane in the port of Pyramiden. Operated by the Russians, but Svalbard is Norwegian land. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Nice playground under the Arctic sun, but image how it was to be a child here during polar night. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
USSR-Norwegian friendly connections. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Hammer and Sickle, the symbol of the Soviet Union. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Pyramiden even had its own cowshed. Nothing's like a fresh glas of milk after a long night in the coal mine at 79 degrees north. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
With a bit of luck you may meet an Arctic fox in between the abandoned buildings in Pyramiden. A bit curious, and not too afraid of humans if you keep a distance. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The hospital. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Children's reading book over a dusty version of the transcripts from the 27th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1986), the first congress presided over by Mikhail Gorbachev as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Outdoor sport stadion named after Yury Gagarin, the first man in space. Football field in summer, ice-skating rink during winter. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
In times of climate changes, Pyramiden coal power plant provided both heat and electricity. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Pyramiden was abandoned in 1998, but the houses are still in rather good shape and are maintained by Arktikugol Trust (Арктикуголь means Arctic coal). Photo: Thomas Nilsen
"Kuzbass" is another important coal region for Russia. Pyramiden heliport in the background. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Seems like this building is sad not to house people anymore. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Soviet-style Arctic art made of mosaic on the wall in the cantina. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Really large cooking pots in the cantina. For the coal miners. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Twelve-past-we-left-the-town. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Some plants are thirstier than others. For this one, it is too late. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The party is over. For good. Priviet (hello) vodka. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The main (and only) avenue in Pyramiden is named after the 60th anniversary of the October revolution. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
"No smoking". Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Map of the world on top of the world. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Pyramiden coal harbor. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Long time ago, in Pyramiden, a green indoor plant decorated the cantina. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The world's northernmost Palace of Culture. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Once upon a time the world's northernmost kindergarten (rigth) and school (2-storey building). Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Part of the port facility in Pyramiden. The Nordenskiöld glacier across the fjord. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Pyramiden is located in Billefjorden, an appendix fjord in the innermost part of Isfjorden. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
ARCTIC:
The heat is on: While record Arctic heat in Siberia makes worldwide headlines, the Norwegian government presents massive oil drilling plans north in the Barents Sea.
Arkhangelsk authorities have tightened the rules, making it practically impossible for pilgrims and tourists to go onshore at the popular monastery archipelago in the White Sea as a protective measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Government turns down a proposed territorial extension of the Northern Sea Route. The President's ambitious target for Arctic shipping is unlikely to be reached unless the Barents Sea is included, route developers argue.
The two construction yards in Severodvinsk are hotbeds for the coronavirus in northern Russia.
The aim is to establish a network with no more than 100 km between each fast-chargers on the main roads.
Almost 6 km of new railroad was constructed in only 18 days in order to overcome the acute logistics crisis in the Arctic region.
Just 0.16% of Russia’s electricity comes from renewable sources.
Murmansk found 37 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and the total number of infections in the city is now 1137. However, from Monday June 22 restrictions are to be lifted, governor Andrei Chibis has decided.
"The flights are clearly a part of a plan of geopolitical and strategic signaling," says defense analyst Per Erik Solli and points to Russia’s long-range navy and air force operations south to the North Sea areas.
About 550,000 reindeer are to be made immune against anthrax.
Researchers believe Novatek's dredging in the Gulf of Ob might ruin local ecosystems and eliminate fish stocks.
The Swedish government announced 1.2 million Swedish kroner (approximately $170,00 CDN) this month for the Sami Paliament to begin laying the groundwork for the country’s upcoming Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Gällivare is now as bad as Stockholm in regards to COVID-19 infections.
The European Union has granted Kvarken region in the Gulf of Bothnia funding to implement flights with electric planes between the Vaasa region in Finland and Sweden's Västerbotten county.
Norwegian Air will resume flights to airports in northern Sweden and Norway for its July and August program.
Barents Must-Reads
The front of Hornsundbreen is retreating every year and will eventually open a new strait between the Barents- and Greenland Seas through the island of Spitsbergen.
Gloomy pictures of climate change from the top of the world.
Single-entry visas for a stay of up to 16 days will come in the start. Later, the goal is to issue multiple entry e-visas.
Investments in regional infrastructure and natural resource development will over the next years be equivalent to the country’s federal budget on health and education.
Øyvind Aas-Hansen with the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA) is happy to cooperate with Aleksandr Vazhenin and Pavel Borisov from the Emergency Response Centre of Rosatom, Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation. A sharp increase in nuclear-powered vessels in Arctic waters causes concern among international safety experts who recently teamed up on a voyage to the Bear Island and Svalbard to see how drones can be used to detect possible hazardous radiation.
