Thomas Nilsen

Russia's Kirkenes Consulate remains open, but for how long?

Consulates across Europe and Russia are hit by a wave of closure as diplomatic relations worsen.
June 12, 2023

Russia plans Svalbard science complex in cooperation with "friendly states"

The new science and research center will be built on the same model as the hyped Snowflake station to appear on the Yamal Peninsula.
June 12, 2023

“Ukrainians” played bad guys in FSB’s Arctic counter-terrorist drill

The end has come for “Muslims” to play the role of saboteurs in anti-terror exercises in the Russian north. The scenario included drones against floating LNG modules and a hostage situation onboard an oil rig.
June 09, 2023

Sail, solar panels, battery. Norwegian zero-emission cruise concept revealed

Hurtigruten Norway says the first zero-emission coastal cruise vessels will be sailing in 2030.
June 07, 2023

Recommends new long-range artillery battalion in Finnmark

The Norwegian Defense Chief wants to give priority to bolstering firepower in the northernmost part of the country.
June 07, 2023

Unique Russian-Norwegian medical evacuation in the High Arctic

Flying out of Longyearbyen, the medical evac chopper safely picked up a crew member from the Arctic research vessel "Severny Polyus" near the North Pole. This was the world's northernmost evacuation of a patient ever.
June 07, 2023

Finland expels nine Russian diplomats for intelligence activities

The nine diplomats are working for Russian intelligence, according to a statement from the President of Finland.
June 06, 2023

NATO scrambled to meet Russian bombers, interceptor aircraft north of carrier strike group

The Russian sortie with at least nine aircraft flew to the western Barents Sea, but returned home instead of continuing south towards the areas where the "USS Gerald R. Ford" is operating.
June 05, 2023

Carrier USS Ford is now operating inside the Arctic Circle

Sailing the waters around Lofoten archipelago in Northern Norway, the authority of the strike group was this weekend transferred from US Navy to NATO.
June 04, 2023

Russia warns of artillery shooting 5 NM from Norway's Grense Jakobselv

Norwegian soldiers at the observation outpost will have panorama view when the powerful Northern Fleet sets off artillery shooting in the Varanger fjord later this week.
May 29, 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