Atle Staalesen

Militant islamic fighters train counter-terrorism in Russian Arctic

Special forces from Chechnya board a powerful icebreaking vessel and stage a show of force on the far northern coasts of the Yenisey. On site is the region's Deputy Prime Minister Vakhit Usmayev.
April 07, 2021

North Russian regions want extension of Arctic shipping route

Five governors propose to establish a Big Northern Sea Route that stretches from St.Petersburg to Vladivostok.
April 01, 2021

Crisis-ridden Hurtigruten sells properties in Svalbard

The serious troubles in the Arctic tourism industry is not the reason why we sell our assets, the Norwegian cruise ship and adventure company underlines.
March 31, 2021

Sounds of heavy gunfire echo through Pechenga Valley

With springtime comes a hike in Russian military training along the border to Norway.
March 30, 2021

This Russian Arctic coast has planet's quickest warming

Parts of Northern Siberia were up to 7℃ warmer than normal in 2020. Massive melting of sea-ice on the Northern Sea Route now paves the way for a hike in shipping.
March 29, 2021

Riot police says it acted "politely" when it detained more than 70 Komi protesters

Supporters of Aleksei Navalny were forcefully dragged into police vans, but leader of the local National Guard argues that his men acted with politeness.
March 25, 2021

In push for global lead in LNG, Moscow takes aim on Arctic tundra

Russia's new government Program on Liquified Natural Gas includes a series of new Arctic projects, among them possibly the Shtokman field.
March 25, 2021

Green light for huge oil terminal on Taymyr coast

State experts approve Rosneft's plans for the Sever Port Bay project. It marks the opening of a new oil province in the Taymyr Peninsula, developers say.
March 24, 2021

Lukoil takes Arctic dispute with Rosneft to Supreme Court

Russia's two biggest oil companies prepare for a legal battle over transportation of Arctic oil in the country's highest court.
March 23, 2021

Government minister comes to Murmansk, says this is the world's new Arctic capital

As he pays a visit to the new LNG Construction Center in Murmansk, Minister of the Far East and Arctic Aleksei Chekunkov says Moscow will do what it can to support industrial developments in the far northern region
March 19, 2021

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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