Thomas Nilsen

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

Blinken to visit Luleå amid Arctic fighter jet exercise

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with the Swedish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister at Luleå air base on May 30.
May 26, 2023

Moscow expels five Swedish diplomats, orders closure of Consulate General

Russia’s Foreign Ministry says Stockholm has pursued a “confrontational course” and orders the closure of Sweden’s Consulate General in St. Petersburg. The Ministry also shows the door to five Swedish diplomats in Russia.
May 25, 2023

Heatwave hit Europe’s Arctic coast

Record temperature for May at Mehamn airport on Norway’s coast to the Barents Sea.
May 24, 2023

U.S. carrier strike group makes ready for Arctic Circle mission

The world’s largest aircraft carrier will after a short visit to Oslo sail north simultaneously as Europe’s largest fighter jet drill kicks off in the skies above Norway, Sweden and Finland.
May 24, 2023

Headed by former Arkhangelsk police chief, Gazprom Neft mercenaries are fighting in Ukraine

Funded with income from Arctic oil drilling, Gazprom Neft’s newly established irregular armed group fights in frontline of Russia’s invasion forces in Bakhmut.
May 23, 2023

Pages

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