Thomas Nilsen

Debate heats up over nuclear power in northern Finland

Someone painted «Putin» over the road sign to Pyhäjoki, the municipality in northern Finland where a partly Russian owned nuclear power plant will be built.
August 02, 2016

China plans to sail nuclear in Arctic

Russia’s monopoly to sail civilian nuclear vessels in Arctic could soon be brought to an end.
August 02, 2016

You can now visit Murmansk and Arkhangelsk without visa

After years of planning the Russian Government has signed the decree opening for 72 hours visa-free entrance for ferry- and cruise vessel passengers.
August 02, 2016

US strategic bombers across Arctic and Nordic skies

Five strategic bombers, including this B-52, had a large-scale exercise across the Arctic and Nordic airspace last night.
August 01, 2016

Busy Arctic autumn for the Northern fleet

Ballistic missile sub will be transferred across the Arctic Ocean; flotilla of vessels will sail Northern Sea Route; motorized infantry brigade will make landings at Kotelny Island.
July 31, 2016

Military biological protection troops sent to stop Yamal anthrax outbreak

July 31, 2016

Russia starts construction of 6th Yasen-class nuclear sub

Sevmash naval yard in Severodvinsk lays down the «Perm» on Friday, the Navy Day of Russia.
July 29, 2016

Yamal anthrax outbreak may come from melting tundra

Reindeer grassing at an old burial place for diseased animals that died long ago are believed to cause Russia’s largest outbreak of anthrax in decades.
July 28, 2016

Report encourages Norway to reopen Olavsvern submarine support base

NATO and partner nations do not currently possess the ability to quickly counter the Russian undersea challenge in much of the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea, according to the Center for Strategic & International Studies.
July 28, 2016

Urgent evacuation of reindeer herders from Arctic anthrax outbreak zone

13 people are hospitalized and 1,200 reindeer are dead on the tundra in Yamalo-Nenets autonomous region in what could be the largest natural anthrax outbreak in modern Russia.
July 27, 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