Thomas Nilsen

Warmest July in times of record on the North Calotte

Average temperature in Lapland was five degrees higher than normal.
August 01, 2018

To protect the Northern Sea Route, Russia gives rebirth to missile-armed ekranoplans

Flying just a few feet above the surface, the wing-in-ground-effect craft could patrol huge areas where infrastructure is weakly developed.
July 31, 2018

Chinese navy commander talks cooperation in Severomorsk

Last year, China and Russia had a joint naval exercise in the Baltic Sea. Now, possible practical forms of cooperation are discussed with the Northern Fleet.
July 30, 2018

Loading of nuclear fuel begins at floating power plant in Murmansk

Russia’s first floating nuclear power plant will be thoroughly tested before towing to the north Siberian port of Pevek.
July 30, 2018

Polar bear shot dead on Svalbard

The bear attacked a person from a cruise vessel on Sjuøyene north of Nordaustlandet.
July 28, 2018

Yamal LNG good business for European gas hubs

Despite opening of the Northern Sea Route, large amount of Russian Arctic LNG is still reloaded in European ports on its way to Asian markets.
July 26, 2018

Vyacheslav Ruksha will lead the newly established Northern Sea Route Directorate

The strongman from Murmansk gets key position in developing Russia's Arctic infrastructure.
July 24, 2018

Barents Region is on fire

Fire fighters combat wildfires from the Kola Peninsula to Norrbotten as record heat wave continues north of the Arctic Circle.
July 23, 2018

Moscow confirms test trials of nuclear-powered doomsday torpedo

Putin bragged about its existence in March, and now, few days after talking nuclear arms control with Trump, a real version appears in a Defense Ministry video.
July 22, 2018

Norwegian editor dies in Lapland gyrocopter crash

The deceased is Morten Ruud (57), editor of Norwegian public radio’s regional broadcaster in Finnmark.
July 22, 2018

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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