Thomas Nilsen

Putin's hope for Sarmat missile launch from Plesetsk failed

As Vladimir Putin on Tuesday announced Russia suspending participation in the New START treaty, information appears that a long awaited test launch of the new Sarmat missile the day before was unsuccessful.
February 22, 2023

Last remaining Norwegian businessmen in Murmansk keeps secret who his customers are

Ølen Betong Murmansk AS, a fully Norwegian-owned company, posted a net profit of 5,4 million Norwegian kroner, but Director Atle Berge is unwilling to tell who buys his concrete.
February 16, 2023

Norway’s intelligence warns of Russian nuclear deterrent, but underlines no tactical nukes on surface warships

Confusion over the wording of a report text about Russia’s deterrence and the particular threat posed by tactical nuclear weapons makes the Norwegian Intelligence Service now clarify the statement.
February 16, 2023

Russia starts renting out apartments to anyone at Norway’s Svalbard archipelago

Dreaming of living in the Arctic? We invite you to move to Barentsburg, reads the offer promotion from Arktikugol, the Russian state-owned enterprise which operates the settlement at Svalbard.
February 16, 2023

Land forces at Kola reduced to one-fifth, Norwegian Intelligence says

"The land forces on Kola are reduced to a fifth of their original numbers before the invasion of Ukraine," says Chief of the Norwegian Intelligence Service, Vice Admiral Nils Andreas Stensønes to the Barents Observer. He warns that the consequence is a Russia which may lower the threshold for nuclear escalation, also near Norway.
February 13, 2023

Profit drops for Arctic miner Nornickel

Nornickel still earns very big money, but war-related sanctions and reorientations of sales to new markets were factors causing net profit to fall by 16 percent year-on-year in 2022.
February 13, 2023

Russian vessels landed fish worth €175 million in 2022

The EU has not sanctioned cod and pollock from Russia and Norway keeps open three ports for fish deliveries, crew change, supply and repair.
February 13, 2023

Three years without one single on-site US nuclear weapons inspection at base for Northern Fleet ballistic missile submarines

The State Department says Russia has denied the United States its right to conduct inspections under the New START Treaty.
February 10, 2023

Vår Energi found more oil at Goliat

The oil discovery was made after drilling down to nearly 3,000 meters below the seafloor.
February 09, 2023

Mission impossible: Will Tom Cruise get heli-filming permission at Svalbard?

Spectacular Arctic winter scenery is what the producers of the next Mission: Impossible will get when filming at Svalbard in late March, and early April.
February 08, 2023

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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