Thomas Nilsen

Electric cars sale grows most in Norway’s northernmost county

Sales rose 140% in first half 2019 in Finnmark compared with same period last year.
August 04, 2019

Russian navy group, nuclear sub, sail north along coast of Norway

The 155-meter-long Oscar-II class submarine "Smolensk" sails through Kattegat and Skagerrak tonight en route north towards the Kola Peninsula.
August 03, 2019

Finland tightens visa rules for Russians

The years with liberal interpretation of Schengen’s requirements comes to an end on September 1.
August 02, 2019

Rune set to attend Northern Fleet's weapons parade

"I see this as part of a neighbour policy the Norwegian government wants. We have normal relations," says Kirkenes mayor Rune Rafaelsen who heads an official municipal delegation to Sunday's powerful show off in Severomorsk, the closed military town and headquarters of Russia's largest navy fleet. Locally, the visit is controversial.
July 24, 2019

Rosatomflot announces tender for additional two nuclear-powered icebreakers

The fourth and fifth icebreakers of the LK-60Ya type have a price tag of 50 billion Rubles (€710 million) each.
July 23, 2019

Russian navy orders additional two Yasen-M submarines

Instead of seven, a total of nine of the most advanced nuclear-powered multi-purpose submarine of the 4th generation will sail with the Northern- and Pacific fleets by 2028.
July 22, 2019

Rosneft gives oil barrel-looking toys to zoo polar bears

The plastic plaything is aimed to prevent the animals from going nuts in captivity.
July 19, 2019

New Arctic anti-aircraft missiles tested at Novaya Zemlya

The first two vehicles with the new Tor-M2DT missiles have arrived and been tested.
July 18, 2019

Russia eyes own Arctic cruise liners

Murmansk and Barentsburg could become vital ports for a new series of Russian medium-sized luxury ships aimed for grabbing a share of the booming Arctic expedition tourist market.
July 11, 2019

"Komsomolets" leaks radioactivity

One sample taken from an open ventilation hole of the wreaked Soviet nuclear powered submarine shows levels of about 800 Becquerel per liter.
July 10, 2019

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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