Thomas Nilsen

Norway’s TV2 denied access to World Cup draw in Moscow

Journalist Øystein Bogen and cameraman Aage Aune are being told that they pose a threat to Russia’s national security.
November 30, 2017

Environmentalists point the finger of blame at Mayak, the plant to process Kola’s Cold War legacy

A mysterious cloud of radioactive ruthenium-106 blowing over Europe earlier this autumn triggered many speculations about Russia trying to ‘cover-up’ a leak from the country’s largest nuclear waste treatment facility.
November 30, 2017

McForeign Agent

A wave of ‘foreign agents’ branding flows over Russia. McDonalds and other American fast food restaurants could be next.
November 27, 2017

Environment ministers on Barents coast to discuss Arctic sea safety and climate change

Visiting Vardø near Norway’s maritime border to Russia, the ministers will learn about Arctic sea traffic safety management.
November 24, 2017

Crowded at Russia's port for Arctic nuclear vessels

Atomflot service base north of Murmansk does not have enough berths to serve the fleet of new icebreakers under construction.
November 22, 2017

Record-breaking winter season for Lapland tourism

Snow is more popular than ever. About 600 charter flights are landing at Finland’s three northernmost airports in the months ahead.
November 21, 2017

Rovaniemi ready to lead electric snowmobile revolution

Imagine the silent ride through the frost and snowy nature under the Northern Lights in Lapland. We are ready to produce electric snow mobiles when the market is ready, says Risto Perttula, Research and Development Director with BRP.
November 21, 2017

Norway’s oil fund wants out of oil and gas investments

Analyses by the investment management show that the fund can be made less vulnerable if staying away from oil and gas stocks.
November 17, 2017

Amazing fireball created by meteor or space trance

«The lights came from all around us, like a massive explosion that lasted for some five, six seconds,» says Barents Observer’s reporter Atle Staalesen who came by car just north of Inari Thursday evening.
November 17, 2017

Almost no Russians at Finland's largest Arctic conference

No chair was reserved for Russia when seven diplomats from the circumpolar north went on stage at Finland’s largest Arctic conference.
November 15, 2017

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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