Thomas Nilsen

More Russian Arctic oil via Murmansk redirects to India

The“Surgut” is one of the supertankers loaded with crude oil from Murmansk now sailing past Europe and instead heading to India.
December 08, 2022

Norwegian police loses case against Yakunin

The 47-year-old British-Russian citizen charged for flying a drone at Svalbard walked out as a free man Wednesday evening.
December 08, 2022

Huge divergence between Norway and Finland in Russian border traffic

Pathways for Russians traveling to Schengen-Europe changed substantially after Finland by the end of September restricted entry for travelers with tourist visas. More of the traffic now goes north via Norway.
December 07, 2022

Explosion at airbase for strategic bombers

Engels airbase is home to Russia’s long-range missile bombers Tu-95 and Tu-160, planes often flying missions outside Norwegian air space.
December 05, 2022

Northern Sweden sees world’s first battery-powered underground mine truck made of fossil-free steel

Here it is, the full-scale working prototype truck to work deep down in the iron-ore mines of LKAB in Kiruna.
December 02, 2022

Three Barents offices shut down, but Norway maintains honorary consulate

Nine months of war and few hopes for regional cross-border cooperation put an end to the regional Barents offices in Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, and Naryan-Mar.
December 02, 2022

Russian parliament passes law limiting freedom of navigation along Northern Sea Route

Foreign military vessels are now required to notify Russia through diplomatic channels three months in advance before sailing north of the Siberia coast between Europe and Asia.
December 01, 2022

Murmansk governor Chibis sanctioned

Following his engagement in the mobilisation of military reservists in the Murmansk region, war ally Andrei Chibis is put on London’s sanction list.
December 01, 2022

Fleeing Russia, Andrei seeks asylum in what for him still is historical homeland, Sapmi

“I’m pleased to be on this side of the border. To be free and not persecuted. To speak the truth openly and not be afraid.” Andrey Danilov promises to continue defending the rights of the indigenous peoples.
November 29, 2022

Russia summons Norwegian ambassador over drone pilots

Robert Kvile, Oslo’s new ambassador to Moscow, was Monday told by Russia’s foreign ministry that charges against Russian citizens for flying drones in Norway are “politically motivated.”
November 28, 2022

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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