Thomas Nilsen

Norway acquires five new maritime patrol aircraft for Arctic waters

P-8A Poseidon will fly on intelligence missions over areas where Russia’s submarine fleet is more and more active.
November 26, 2016

First emergency shutdown of reactor type to be built in Finland

Russia’s first operational AES-2006 giga-reactor had a generator failure less three months after it was connected to the grid.
November 25, 2016

Brighter future ahead for Norwegian companies in Murmansk

There are still many wait-and-see investor, but Innovation Norway’s Morten Brugård and Consul General Ole Andreas Lindman eye new opportunities.
November 24, 2016

Lavrov turns down invitation to Arctic talks in Tromsø

Reciprocity is often said to be keyword in understanding Russian foreign policy. “When you don’t visit me, I will not visit you.”
November 22, 2016

Cod is cash

This is Norway's new 200-krone note.
November 22, 2016

Swedes discover new Barents oil and gas

Norwegian oil association is happy, while Greenpeace in Stockholm warns Lundin’s shareholders.
November 22, 2016

Russia empties Reserve Fund, makes priority to defense sector

17,5% of the federal budget for 2017 will be spend on military.
November 21, 2016

Playing Punk Prayer in Norway could mean years in prison

“Our goal was to avoid consequences for the orchestra and for Norwegian-Russian cultural relations,” Russia’s Consulate General says.
November 16, 2016

EU has no plans to lift Russia sanctions

European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström says export to non-EU countries has increased with 5,7% after Russia introduced counter-sanctions.
November 16, 2016

Trump makes Monchegorsk great again

Copper- and nickel prices are up more than 10 percent since Donald Trump’s victory.
November 15, 2016

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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