Thomas Nilsen

Trade with Russia; down, down, down

2015 was a bad year for Norway, Finland and Sweden’s trading with Russia.
January 04, 2016

Swedes drilled dry with Russian partner

No oil discovery at well drilled mid-winter in Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea.
January 04, 2016

“Summer” in Arctic midwinter

Santa got a surprise when he came home after this year’s Christmas ride. Temperatures at the North Pole were above freezing on Tuesday. Longyearbyen on Svalbard had record heat wave on Tuesday.
December 30, 2015

Old titanium submarine sets sail for Barents Sea

After four years of modernisation work at the Nerpa shipyard, the Sierra-class nuclear powered submarine “Pskov” on Monday returned for mission.
December 28, 2015

ConocoPhillips exits Arctic Russia

American oil company sells its 50 percent stake in the high-profile Polar Lights oil company on the tundra in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
December 28, 2015

Finland forbids asylum biking

No asylum seekers have entered Finland on bicycle from the Kola Peninsula since the day before Christmas Eve.
December 27, 2015

Murmansk police files charges against Sergey Alekseenko

Warning! The following sentence is unlawful to publish: “Being gay means being brave and confident person, with dignity and self-esteem.”
December 23, 2015

Approves radioactive waste disposal in melting permafrost

Regional Government of Arkhangelsk Oblast says yes to Novaya Zemlya waste dump.
December 22, 2015

Norway continues sanctions on Russia

EU prolongs its economic sanctions, the U.S. announces expanded sanctions list and Russia, in return, says it will pool proposals on possible countermeasures.
December 22, 2015

Helsinki Committee says Norway’s return of refugees to Russia is risky

National Police Immigration Service will not reveal how many people will be given a bicycle for return to Russia.
December 21, 2015

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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