Atle Staalesen

Chechen forces are back in the Arctic

Special forces from the North Caucasian region are in the Russian far north to do training in a "complicated peace-time environment."
March 17, 2021

In Russian Arctic energy shift, Novatek might turn from LNG to ammonia

The natural gas company intended to produce up to 5 million tons of LNG in its Ob project. It might instead go for ammonia.
March 17, 2021

A ship loaded with coal digging equipment is on its way to Arctic peninsula Taymyr

Miners get ready for digging at Russia's northernmost coal field.
March 16, 2021

Moscow protests Norwegian exploration in Svalbard waters

It is becoming something of a habit that the Russian Foreign Ministry accuses Norway of violating the Svalbard Treaty.
March 15, 2021

Border town Kirkenes could get a square named after Boris Nemtsov

The local Conservative Party in Kirkenes, Norway, wants to honor the murdered opposition leader and his work for a democratic Russia. A square next to the local Russian General Consulate should carry Nemtsov’s name because he represents peace and cooperation between the countries, local politician Brede Sæther argues.
March 11, 2021

Arctic polluter transfers 146 billion to the state treasury

Nornickel has cashed out an unprecedented fine for its spill of 21,000 tons of diesel oil into wetlands and rivers of far northern peninsula Taymyr.
March 11, 2021

Equinor finds more Barents oil

The discovery is located near the company's Johan Castberg field and could hold up to 50 million barrels of oil.
March 11, 2021

Rosatom hints it might not need that many new icebreakers after all

Leader of the company's Northern Sea Route Directorate says three powerful nuclear icebreakers will be able to keep the whole Arctic shipping corridor open through the winter and spring season. Previously, the company insisted it needed six vessels for the job.
March 10, 2021

Land of aging women

Russia rightfully treasures its women. They account for 65 percent of the country's population over 60 years of age, and 75 percent of the people over 80. In the northern parts of the country, the gender disparity is even bigger.
March 08, 2021

Air traveling plummets, but Norway still invests billions in new northern airports

A brand new runway and terminal will be built in Bodø, and the Tromsø Airport is getting a major facelift.
March 04, 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