Atle Staalesen

Russia'a new ballistic missile submarine sails under Arctic ice sheet in transfer to Pacific Fleet

Almost two months after it set out from the Kola Peninsula, nuclear powered Borei-class sub Generalissimus Suvorov arrives in its new home base of Vilyuchinsk.
October 17, 2023

Moscow cuts funding for icebreakers

Slashed investments and a spike in construction costs will lead to a significant delay for Russia's expanded fleet of nuclear powered icebreakers.
October 13, 2023

Newly elected leader of Norway's Finnmark region snubs Moscow, wants Volodymyr Zelensky to 2WW anniversary

The new regional government of Hans-Jacob Bønå does not want any official Russian representatives at next year's 80-year anniversary of Soviet liberation of East Finnmark. A similar political shift has come to the border town of Kirkenes, where a new mayor intends to scrap cooperation with neighbouring Russian region of Pechenga.
October 10, 2023

Captured by Kyiv. POWs from the Kola Peninsula

Stanislav Trutnev lied severely wounded and unconscious on the ground when we was picked up by Ukrainian soldiers and brought to hospital in Kharkiv. The lieutenant that is expert on underwater sabotage operations is one of several POWs from the far northern Russian region of Murmansk.
October 07, 2023

Behind the new military training center for youth in Murmansk stand the Kremlin and Chechen strongmen

The VOIN ("Fighter") center says it will engage in patriotic education and combat training of teenage youngsters. It is established on an initiative from top Kremlin official Sergei Kirienko and developed in cooperation with Chechen hardliner Daniil Martynov.
October 03, 2023

Following Andrei Patrushev's infrastructure investment comes a major government development plan for seaports in Arkhangelsk and Novaya Zemlya

A terminal for shipment of zinc and lead is to be built in the archipelago of Novaya Zemlya and the Seaport of Arkhangelsk will get its capacity tripled, Russia's federal government decides.
October 02, 2023

In Russian Navy's wild propaganda show in Murmansk, a OSCE flag is displayed as war trophy from Ukraine

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is presented as enemy of Russia in bizarre propaganda exhibition onboard naval vessel Ivan Gren.
September 28, 2023

Political prisoner Ivan Safonov to be moved to Norilsk

The journalist that serves a 22 year sentence for treason is reportedly to be sent to the closed north Siberian city.
September 27, 2023

Quest for freedom and love. Norwegians and Russians gather in border town Kirkenes for Barents Pride

This is not only a celebration. It is a protest. Against war and repression, explains Valentina Likhoshva, who travelled from Moscow to Norway to take part in the Barents Pride.
September 27, 2023

This is a very important part of Norway, says Lieutenant General as he arrives to Svalbard

On the backdrop of an increasingly tense security situation, Head of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters Yngve Odlo pays visit to the far northern and demilitarised archipelago.
September 26, 2023

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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