Thomas Nilsen

Troubled Kola reactor shut down again

Kola nuclear power plant Unit 3 automatically disconnected from the grid Tuesday evening.
July 19, 2016

Marines train near Kola bay oil reloading

Coastal troops of Russia’s Northern fleet are practicing naval landing operations.
July 19, 2016

Border mayor urges minister to address cross-border air pollution

“Pollution from Nikel must stop,” says Kirkenes-Mayor Rune Rafaelsen and suggests traveling together with Norway’s Minister of Environment to Moscow to solve the problem.
July 14, 2016

Spectacular Barents Sea plankton bloom

Immense blooms of the alga forming the turquoise colored belt now stretching across the Barents Sea may be linked to warming Arctic.
July 13, 2016

Airborne pollution exceeds federal limits by 10 times

Unhealthy air-quality from a factory wrapped in pollution continues in Nikel despite closure of similar melting technology in Norilsk for environmental reasons.
July 12, 2016

Migrants’ Ladas and Volgas put up for sale

Ever wanted to have a black Volga? On Friday and Saturday Finland’s Customs auctions away 128 of the cars used by asylum seekers to enter Lapland from Russia’s Kola Peninsula.
July 12, 2016

This is Russia’s new unique underwater drone for Arctic waters

A series of unmanned underwater vehicles (UAV) for both research and military purposes are under development.
July 12, 2016

Early cloudberry season

The hunt for the berries often referred to as “the gold of the Barents Region” has started two weeks earlier than normal.
July 11, 2016

Royal couple to visit Oulu

Norway’s King Harald and Queen Sonja will travel together with several ministers in September.
July 11, 2016

Norway creates new Army unit on border to Russia

200 more soldiers with light anti-aircraft and anti-armor weapons will be based with the Garrison of Sør-Varanger.
June 17, 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