Thomas Nilsen

Strict regulations on grouse hunting

Grouse population in Finnmark is only one third of last year's.
August 30, 2016

Oleg runs for elections with the slogan «Don’t lie, don’t steal»

Oleg Drozdov with the Yabloko Party in Murmansk runs for a seat in the State Duma, but is not allowed to do street campaigning, gets limited media coverage and zero access to the closed military towns where nearly 100.000 voters live.
August 30, 2016

Oil minister Lien invites for more Arctic blocks

More blocks will be made ready for oil drilling in the Barents Sea as the Norwegian Government on Monday announced the start of the 24th licensing round.
August 29, 2016

Possible illegal border-crossing

Military border guards and the police started to search the terrain after traces on both sides of the Norwegian-Russian border.
August 29, 2016

Top FSB General on mission to Norway

Inside this motorcade crossing the border at Storskog Thursday morning is Army General Vladimir Kulishov, one of President Vladimir Putin’s top security officials.
August 25, 2016

Russia mulls extension of border zone

Official document indicates that Moscow is preparing the reintroduction of traveling restrictions in the borderlands to Norway and Finland.
August 24, 2016

Svalbard could turn from dirty coal to zero emission power supply

Energy Advisor Runa Haugh Khoury says a new power cable to Svalbard can supply both Norwegian and Russian settlements on the archipelago.
August 23, 2016

Ølen Betong expands Murmansk-plant in times of trouble

Russia’s Arctic development needs concrete, lots of concrete. In Murmansk, the Norwegian producer does its best to meet demand, despite having a director declared persona no grata.
August 23, 2016

Hurtigruten CEO calls for size limit on Arctic cruise vessels

Arctic sea ice melts away and Daniel Skjeldam predicts a big growth in voyages to northern waters.
August 22, 2016

In Murmansk port, Sergey makes ready for visa-free passengers

“72-hours visa freedom gives more possibilities, more guests, more work, better business,” says local tourist handler Sergey Arzumanov.
August 16, 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