Atle Staalesen

"Andrei Medvedev had no intention to cross the border to Russia"

The lawyer of the former Wagner warrior says the man was not planning a return to Russia. "He only wanted to visit the Norwegian-Russian border areas in connection with a documentary project."
September 23, 2023

Wagner defector detained by Norwegian police in attempted illegal border crossing back to Russia

I want to go back to Russia, Andrei Medvedev told the Barents Observer in Kirkenes earlier on Friday.
September 22, 2023

Deputy Commander of Russia's Northern Fleet submarine forces is killed in Nagorno-Karabakh

Ivan Kovgan was in charge of political propaganda in the Northern Fleet and lived in the submarine base of Gadzhievo. Why was he in the disputed Caucasian region, locals from the Kola Peninsula ask.
September 22, 2023

Washington bans Russia's main Arctic oil driller

Company Gazprom Nedra could face serious trouble in Arctic shelf exploration as it is included in an updated U.S sanctions list.
September 21, 2023

Russian Arctic regions strengthen bonds with Beijing

Following Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow in March this year, a series of meetings have been held between north Russian governors and representatives of Chinese business and governance.
September 20, 2023

American coast guard vessel is sailing into Russian Arctic waters. Almost at same time, Moscow launches naval exercise in the area

Only few days after U.S icebreaking coast guard ship Healy sailed through the Bering Strait and into the Chukchi Sea as part of a 7-week westbound voyage along the Russian Arctic coast, the Russian Navy started drills in the area on "protection of the Northern Sea."
September 18, 2023

Americans attack Russian Arctic: new sanctions take aim at LNG and mining

The U.S Treasury adds a significant number of Russian individuals and companies to its sanctions list. It means trouble for the developers of liquified natural gas and new mines in the Russian Arctic.
September 15, 2023

As Ukrainian counter-attacks intensify, Murmansk steps up investments in occupied town Primorsk

North Russian Governor Andrei Chibis this week made a second visit to the Ukrainian town on the Azov Sea coast. Not long ago, Primorsk was under heavy bombardment by Ukrainian forces.
September 14, 2023

One month after huge Orthodox cross popped up in Svalbard, Russian bishop erects a similar holy landmark in Franz Josef Land

The Orthodox crosses raised in the neighbouring Norwegian and Russian Arctic archipelagos are both devoted to Georgy the Victorious, the saint seen in Russia as the protector of warriors.
September 13, 2023

Ahead of meeting with Kim Jong Un, Putin praises Soviet Politburo leader at naming ceremony for Arctic tankers

Vladimir Putin attended the naming ceremony of icebreaking gas carrier "Aleksei Kosygin," soon to start shuttling on the Northern Sea Route.
September 12, 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