Thomas Nilsen

HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier group sails north for NATO training

The British aircraft carrier will train warfare with Nordic countries, Americans and other allies off the coast of northern Norway.
September 21, 2023

Russia kicks off trans-Arctic navy exercise

15 warships, submarines, support vessels, aircraft and coastal units are involved as the Northern Fleet starts an exercise that stretches all along Russia’s Arctic, from the Barents Sea in the West to the East Siberian Sea.
September 19, 2023

Lavrov formally withdraws Russia from Barents cooperation

Sergei Lavrov on Monday informed the other members of the Barents Cooperation about the withdrawal from the official structures where Russia has been frozen out since the start of the all-out war against Ukraine.
September 18, 2023

Suspected drunk driver crashes with cross-border minibus, leaving five killed

The minibus with Russian citizens on their way home from Norway was hit by a stolen truck Saturday afternoon. This was the second fatal accident along the border road in two days.
September 17, 2023

Norwegians fear radiation as Russia prolongs test-window for Burevestnik missile

A satellite image from September 14 shows several vessels close to shore near the military top-secret Pankovo test site. Air space and waters in a distance of about 300 kilometers along the west coast of Novaya Zemlya in the Barents Sea will remain closed until September 24.
September 15, 2023

Finland bans entry of Russian cars

The ban enters force from midnight. Norway is now the only country allowing Russian vehicles with less than 10 seats to enter.
September 15, 2023

US Navy brings massive fire power to Tromsø

This is the first time a guided missile submarine of the Ohio-class makes port call to Northern Norway. The “USS Florida” is one of the most powerful warships in the world, capable of carrying up to 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles.
September 14, 2023

NATO drone on first time mission over Finland

The large surveillance drone flew along the border with Russia’s Karelia region. It improves situation awareness and strengthens national defense, the Finnish Defense Forces says.
September 14, 2023

Norway needs time to consider entry ban to Russian vehicles

European countries with land border to Russia are closing for cross-border private driving, but the northern gateway into Norway remains open. For now, at least.
September 14, 2023

With northern focus, Finland applies EU funding to improve military mobility

Roads, railways and bridges in Lapland with links to Sweden and Norway are crucial for both military and civilian transportation to Finland in case the Baltic Sea should be closed.
September 13, 2023

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Thomas Nilsen is editor of the Independent Barents Observer with its news desk located in Kirkenes, northern Norway. He has a long experience in media cooperation across the borders in the high north of Europe, both as radio- and newspaper reporter all the way back to the days before the breakup of the Soviet Union. 

Nilsen has been editor of Barents Observer since 2009.

He was Deputy Head of the Norwegian Barents Secretariat from 2004-2009. Until 2003, he worked 12 years for the Bellona Foundation’s Russian study group, focusing on nuclear safety issues and general environmental challenges in northern areas and the Arctic. 

Thomas has been traveling extensively across northern Scandinavia and Arctic Russia since the late 80’s working for different media and organizations. He is also a guide at sea and in remote locations in the Russian north for various groups and regularly lectures on security issues, environmental and socio-economic development.

Thomas Nilsen studied at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Mobile: +47-90573143

thomas@thebarentsobserver.com
@nilsen.thomas