Atle Staalesen

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

Ship with Russian university students goes aground in remote archipelago Franz Josef Land

Research vessel Mikhail Somov got stuck in shallow waters as it was sailing to a nearby meteorological station. On board are 91 people.
July 25, 2023

Putin came to Murmansk to bolster regional military. But cancelled meeting with military leaders

The president's planned visit to Severomorsk, the Northern Fleet headquarters, was reportedly cancelled due to "bad weather."
July 24, 2023

Russia's expansive Arctic industry make big advance as first floating LNG platform sets out from Belokamenka towards Gydan

Shortly after Vladimir Putin paid a visit to the LNG construction center, the 640,000 ton installation started its voyage from Murmansk to the port of Utrenneye in the Gulf of Ob.
July 23, 2023

New Arctic industry gives boost in icy shipments

Russia's nuclear-powered icebreakers made a total of 435 ship escort operations in the first half of 2023. New industrial projects in the Yenisey Bay now generate growth in Arctic shipping, says nuclear icebreaker operator Atomflot.
July 12, 2023

Northern Fleet landing ship is ready to start shuttle tourists from Crimea

The landing ship "Olenegorsky Gornyak" has been assigned to transportation of civilians and commercial goods to and from the occupied peninsula.
July 12, 2023

New submarine for Northern Fleet will be named "Mariupol"

Russia is about to start the building of six improved Kilo-class submarines for Arctic waters. They will all get their names from occupied Ukrainian cities.
July 10, 2023

Russia's giant self-propelled Navy crane is heading to Novaya Zemlya

The "PK-7500" has undergone mechanical repair and will now be applied for "technical underwater operations" in the far northern and heavily militarized archipelago.
July 07, 2023

The SOS Children's Village in Kandalaksha was built with Norwegian money. Now it houses kids deported from Ukraine

As social problems and domestic violence mounted in Russia, Norwegians donated millions to a shelter for Russian children in crisis. Twenty years later, the managers of the north Russian orphanage are accused of involvement in war crimes.
July 04, 2023

Swedish developer plans to build greenest iron mine in Kirkenes

Development company Grangex AO buys the Sydvaranger iron ore mine and says it aims for emission-free extraction.
June 29, 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