Atle Staalesen

"Here starts a hostile and unfriendly world." Top Murmansk clergyman Mitrofan visits Boris and Gleb Church on border to Norway

The Russian Orthodox metropolitan that has called Russia's war against Ukraine a 'battle with Anti-Christ' pays a visit to the church located only few meters from Norway.
August 07, 2023

Northern Fleet ship seriously damaged in drone attack

The 112 meter long landing vessel Olenegorsky Gornyak is in danger of sinking after Ukrainian drones struck the Russian naval base in Novorossiisk.
August 04, 2023

Moscow first called Oslo "unfriendly." Now, it has become "very unfriendly"

Norway is the only of Russia's neighboring countries that is included in a list of states with a so-called unfriendly line against Russian diplomatic offices.
August 03, 2023

Ship sails 6,000 km to deliver goods and new crew to Russia's North Pole platform

Research vessel Akademik Tryoshnikov is on its way from St.Petersburg to waters near the North Pole where it will re-equip the "Severny Polyus-41."
August 02, 2023

Russian investigators summon girl (9) and boy (10) for questioning following mother's suspected "discreditation of army"

A criminal case was opened against Lidia Prudovskaya from the town of Mirny in Arkhangelsk region following her anti-war social media posts. Both her two children were summoned to testify against her.
August 01, 2023

"Ten Western terrorist plots against Karelia over last half year," says Russian security chief Patrushev

In an apparent attempt to stir fear and hostility, the powerful FSB hawk claims that the Northwest Russian border region is under attack from Western and Ukrainian security services.
August 01, 2023

With photo of rifle grenades, the politician from Murmansk announces death of military husband in Ukraine

"Good-bye my angel, good-bye my warrior," local politician Maria Serebrenikova writes in a social media post about her killed spouse.
July 28, 2023

Russian drillship explores the ground along US border

The Bavenit has sailed to the Chukchi Sea and started exploration drilling just few kilometres from the maritime border to the USA.
July 27, 2023

Russian governors could soon start building regional armies

New legislation opens up for establishment of regional military companies that will be in charge of "guarding the state border in times of war."
July 27, 2023

Still plenty of sea-ice as Russia sends two major oil tankers through remotest Arctic waters

Up to 200,000 tons of crude oil is on its way into one of the toughest shipping routes on earth.
July 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