Russian Ecological Chamber, an NGO created by former State Duma Deputies, invites to Barents EcoWeek, a gathering other environmental groups call «a highly questionable event.»
Electric car enthusiasts from Bergen, Oslo, Hammerfest, Minsk and St. Petersburg drive towards Murmansk showing that even Europe's remotest corner is within range.
Norway aims at being in the forefront in Europe of providing shore electricity to cut emission, but that might be a challenge at ports in the high north where power line capacity is limited.
A significant green step is taken outside Luleå for an industry that accounts for about a quarter of direct CO2 emissions in global industry production.
Civilian vessels with daily rates of up to $10,000 are lining up in the Norwegian-Russian maritime border area waiting for the Northern Fleet to stop shooting.
Travel
28 new ships by 2022:
28 (and counting) new expedition ships capable of sailing Arctic waters are coming to the market over the next four years.
Prices start at 7,675 rubels, less than 1,000 kroner, for a one-way ticket.
72-hours visa-freedom and new multi-million cruise port are of little help. Murmansk gets only half the number of port calls this season compared with 2015.
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Russia’s media supervision authority Roskomnadzor fines 7x7-journal 800.000 rubles for a blog post.
Shipping in the Gulf of Ob is paralysed and the situation complicated, icebreaker company Rosatomflot says.
Eye on the Arctic
Twenty Kittilä councillors have been suspended by central government until the conclusion of their trial on charges of abuse of an official office, workplace safety violations and workplace discrimination.
June 12, 1984: It is Cold War and the Soviet nuclear submarine K-131 is under the surface just outside Northern Norway when the fire alarm sounded. Hours later, 13 of the crew members are dead.
Partners
Siste/ mest lest
Security
Snow-going vehicle Chaborz M-3 is made in the Chechen Republic on request of chieftain Ramzan Kadyrov.
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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Four years after Northland Resources filed for bankruptcy, production of iron-ore concentrate starts at Kaunisvaara outside Pajala on July 18.
If not, the good-neighborly relationship will be ruined, the Russian Foreign Ministry threatens.
The two major yards in Severodvinsk, northern Russia, intend to deliver key components to the country’s planned new Arctic natural gas project.
The warship will be handed over for service on June 20 after years of delay and test-sailings.
An improvement of the ministry structure is needed in order to meet the requirements of the President, says Minister of Natural Resources Dmitry Kobylkin as he announces the establishment of a new Arctic department.
We live longer, are active longer, and therefore we need to work longer, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev argues as he presents what is a highly controversial law in Russia.
Norway issues several new oil licenses north of the 74th parallel.
Several naval vessels are sailing in the Ofoten area and will make port calls to Narvik
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
25th satellite in Russia’s equivalent to GPS is now in operation.
Norwegian and Russian marine researchers for the third year in a row recommend reducing the catch of Northeast Arctic cod.
Regional prosecutors regain momentum in the case against the Karelian human rights defender.
Strong-worded message from Russia’s Oslo Embassy warns about consequences of U.S. Marines based in Norway.
«They are interested», says the Russian Minister of Energy.
A load of containers with spent nuclear fuel from Andreeva Bay on the Kola Peninsula will have to wait because of a general ban on transport of dangerous goods in Russia during the Football World Cup.
Russian navy kicks off largest naval maneuver in 10 years in a surprise exercise aimed to counter a massive enemy attack.
Eye on the Arctic
President Sauli Niinistö addressed the Finnish Climate Summit in Helsinki on Wednesday, calling on the Arctic Council member states to meet to tackle black carbon emissions in the far north.
Eyes on Barents
A story about the cruel conditions in the Karelian prison where both Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Ildar Dadin were serving terms.
Last week of June will be noisy along Europe’s eastern border to Russia with exercises both in Finland and in the Baltic.
Up to 700 U.S. Marines are welcome for training on rotation at Værnes Air Station in the south and at Setermoen military camp in Troms, Northern Norway.
Luostari was once the Soviet Union’s nearest airfield to NATO territory. Now, the nearby ghost town of Korzunova could be one of the most lucrative private housing areas on the industrialized Kola Peninsula.
Building of Russian Arctic infrastructure is part of a $9.5 billion credit agreement signed with the China Development Bank.
Five 30-ton heavy ATVs are making their way around the Novaya Zemlya as part of a major exploratory effort of the Northern Fleet.
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.
They are among the richest people on planet earth and holds an insane amount of private money. The Barents Observer gives you the overview of who owns what in the Murmansk region.
Northern Fleet trains rescue diving northwest of Hammerfest.
The number of people crossing the Norwegian-Russian border is shrinking. But some people, like Aleksandr, will continue to travel between the countries. «I have been doing my shopping in Kirkenes since 1995», he says.
Barents Must-Reads
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.
