Thomas Nilsen

Direct flights from Barents Region to Thailand

Starting from next January, you can fly directly from Luleå to Krabi.
March 05, 2016

Both Northeast and Northwest passages open for cruise vessels this summer

Do you want to sail through spectacular Arctic icy waters with landings at some of the most remote places on this planet? Prices start at $21,000 per person.
March 04, 2016

Doors closed on Arctic migrant route

Russia’s FSB Border Guard Service does no longer let migrants cross the border to Finnish Lapland.
March 04, 2016

Lowest February sea ice extent in satellite record

Mid-winter and Arctic sea ice should steadily grow. Not so this year. The Barents Sea actually saw a declined last month.
March 02, 2016

Traffic continues decline across border

February was not a crowded month at the Russian-Norwegian border.
March 02, 2016

Visa waiver could increase tourist flow by 30 to 40 percent

Russian tourist companies ask Foreign Ministry to ease visa regulations for foreigners.
March 02, 2016

Incomplete combustion of dirty-oil caused black smoke in border area

Still unclear if this smoke from Nikel’s district heating plant is to blame for the high levels of sulphur dioxide measured on the Norwegian side of the border.
February 29, 2016

Putin orders FSB to strengthen control over refugees in transit to Europe

Murmansk police arrests organiser of human trafficking, but the number of asylum seekers to Finnish Lapland remains high.
February 29, 2016

B-52s en route to Norway

US Air Force deploys three B-52 strategic bombers to Cold Response exercise. The planes will be in the skies over Norway on Tuesday.
February 29, 2016

U.S. Marines jump into freezing Finnmark water

First time a U.S. infantry battalion is training in Arctic Norway.
February 23, 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