Atle Staalesen

Murmansk Governor Andrei Chibis injured in knife attack

The regional leader was stabbed in the stomach during a visit to the town of Apatity.
April 04, 2024

Norway establishes Arctic base for long-range drones

The Nordic country is buying big drones that are to enhance its ability to control maritime interests areas in the Barents Sea. They will be based at Andøya, 300 km north of the Arctic Circle.
April 03, 2024

Another Chinese LNG module arrives in Belokamenka

This week's delivery of the 14th plant module allows energy company Novatek to complete construction of a second production unit for the Arctic LNG 2.
April 03, 2024

As Helsinki prepares new measures against Russian hybrid operations, President Stubb makes visit to the border

The newly elected Head of State started his trip to the region of North Karelia with a visit to the border-crossing point of Niirala.
March 27, 2024

In Moscow's 'master plan' for remote Arctic town Dikson is a boom in extractive industry and thousands of commuter jobs

A fancy document presented by a group of consultancy companies outlines billions of rubles of investments in upgraded infrastructure and building of new hotels. But on top of the wishing list of the local population is proper healthcare and housing.
March 27, 2024

Finnish Court annuls 2023 Sámi elections

The vote must be considered invalid because a significant number of individuals had been omitted from the election list, the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland decides.
March 27, 2024

Landing ship Yamal critically damaged in missile attack — Ukrainian Armed Forces

The ship operating under the stewardship of the Yamal-Nenets region is one of three vessels reportedly hit in this weekend's massive Ukrainian attack on occupied naval base Sevastopol. A significant number of sailors from the far northern Russian region has served on the vessel.
March 25, 2024

The children in kindergarten No 4 "voted" for Putin

With patriotic fervour, schools and kindergartens across Russia put the recent so-called presidential election on their agenda. In a kindergarten in Polyarnye Zori, Kola Peninsula, the children even had their own vote.
March 20, 2024

In Northern Fleet's latest training scenario, naval base Severomorsk is attacked by enemy drones

In an exercise held in the Northern Fleet headquarter city this week, military engineers, medics and representatives of radiation, chemical and biological protection forces were drilled in coping with consequences of a drone attack.
March 19, 2024

Russians in Northern Norway voted for Putin

Almost 75 percent of the votes cast in the border town of Kirkenes were for Vladimir Putin, figures from the Russian Election Commission show. In Barentsburg, Svalbard, the number reached 69 percent.
March 18, 2024

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Atle is journalist and Publisher of the Independent Barents Observer.

In 2002, he founded the Barents Observer. He was editor until 2009 and later worked as journalist and project coordinator for several European cross-border cooperation projects. In late 2015, following a conflict over editorial rights, he re-established the Barents Observer as an independent and non-profit stock company along with the rest of the newspaper crew.  

Atle has a degree in Russian studies from the University of Oslo and studied journalism at the Moscow State University.

atle@thebarentsobserver.com
@atlestaalesen