Thomas Nilsen

Kirkenes gets longer runway for bigger planes

Norwegian Government gives priority to extension of the runway at Kirkenes airport.
April 05, 2017

FSB fears terror at nuclear installations in Murmansk region

«The Kola Peninsula is saturated with nuclear facilities, so the topic is very relevant for us,» says Aleksandr Metelkov, Chief of staff at FSB’s operational headquarters in Murmansk.
April 05, 2017

World’s biggest nuclear sub to show off in the Baltic

Russia will show its strongest naval muscles at the Navy Parade in July.
April 04, 2017

«Leninsky Komsomol» to be floated out as museum

Ever dreamed of being on board a Soviet nuclear powered submarine? Soon, exactly that might be possible.
April 03, 2017

Rogozin floats out new attack submarine

Yesterday, Putin stressed that Russia’s military activities in Arctic threaten no one. Today, another brand new cruise-missile sub was set on water.
March 31, 2017

Niinistö suggests Arctic Summit to Finland

«Finland, in my view, is a very convenient country,» Vladimir Putin replies.
March 30, 2017

Scientists design civilian nuclear submarine for Arctic exploration

New spring for Soviet era ideas as Russia sets to speed up Arctic economic development.
March 30, 2017

Putin instructs Government to speed up Arctic development

The President says he wants to work with foreigners to implement projects in Russia’s Arctic economic program.
March 30, 2017

Busy day in the Russian Arctic

One president, three ministers; Russia Franz Josef Land got unusual guests from Moscow.
March 29, 2017

Greenpeace campaigner refused access to Arctic Forum

Laura Meller from Finland was supposed to participate in the session about environmental responsibility.
March 29, 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